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<br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I' <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />represent total volumes of water in storage that potentially are recoverable, <br />disregarding commitments and allocations which already are in existence. The <br />information used to develop these estimates was derived from several available <br />data and literature sources [7,15,17,19,20,21,22]. Generally, the storage <br />volumes for the individual WAU's were determined by disaggregating docu- <br />mented regional or basinwide figures based on a general knowledge and <br />understanding of the hydrogeologic features of the area. <br /> <br />It should be pointed out that these estimates of ground water storage <br />are applicable only for fresh (<1,000 mg/1 total dissolved solids) to <br />slightly saline (1,000-3,000 mg/1 TOS) waters. Storage information for more <br />saline water is not readily available, and furthermore, is difficult to <br />develop. Most of the saline water aquifers are composed of carbonates and <br />evaporites. Prediction of storage volumes and potential yields for these <br />types of formations is a complex problem requiring detailed study of loca- <br />lized aquifer properties. Also, many of the saline water aquifers are con- <br />nected hydraulically to aquifers containing fresh water. Withdrawal of the <br />saline water can affect subsurface as well as surface water supplies. <br /> <br />Included in the following sections are more detailed and specific <br />descriptions of ground water occurrence and conditions in each of the three <br />states in the Region. <br /> <br />Colorado <br /> <br />Ground water in the Rio Grande Basin of Colorado (WAU 130100) occurs <br />primarily in the San Luis Valley, a deep structural basin down-faulted on the <br />east against the crystalline Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Aquifers consist of <br />unconsolidated sand and gravel intermixed with clay and silt and volcanic <br />lava, ash flows and breccia. The depth of the unconso1 idated fill in the San <br />Luis Valley has been estimated to be as much as 30,000 feet [19,20]. In most <br />areas of the Valley, the aquifers will yield from a few hundred to a few <br />thousand gallons per minute (GPM) for individual wells. <br /> <br />.<J <br />"0'0 <br />o <br /> <br />26 <br />