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<br />;11 14 ? p <br /> <br />The consolidated formations younger than the Mancos <br />contain water generally adequate only for domestic and stock <br />supplies, although in sor~ areas where these young~r rocks <br />are thick, supplies largo enough for small towns ml.ght be <br />obtained. Hare information is needed, however, before the <br />water-yielding properties of the younger rocks, especially <br />those of Tertiary age, can be appraised properly, even in <br />general terms. <br /> <br />For an understanding of the areal extent of the various <br />water-bearing formations in western Colorado, the reader is <br />referred to the geologic map of colorado.lI certain general <br /> <br />I <br />J <br />, <br />I <br /> <br />j,f <br /> <br />Burbank, W.S., Lovering, '1'.8., Goddard, <br />~-n., 1935, Geologic map of colorado: <br />Survey. <br /> <br />E.N., and Ecltel, <br />U.S. Geological <br /> <br />statements, however, may be useful to those who do not have <br />ready reference to the geologic map. <br /> <br />In the western one-fourth of the State, rocks older than <br />i;ha Mancos predominate at or near the surface south of the <br />Grand Valley; whereas, rocks younger than the Mancos predominate <br />at or near the surface north of the Grand Valley. <br /> <br />Between the western one-fourth of the State llIJ1d the <br />Front Range of the Bocky Mountains, the complex geologic <br />structure has exposed rocks of all ages, the occurrence of <br />anyone formation or group of formations within a particular <br />age group being relatively small in areal extent. Again <br />using the Hancos as a reference, most of this area has surface <br />rocks older than the Mancos or is covered with igneous rocks <br />of Tertiary age underlain by rocks l'IlUch older than the Mancos. <br />None of these are knol'm to be good aquifers except locally. <br />scattered throughout the aren, however, are small areas under- <br />lain by water-bearing beds ranging in age from Triassic to <br />Tertiary. The water-bearing properties of these units probably <br />are similar to those of corresponding units in tho area to the <br />west. <br /> <br />Ground wster is known to occur in some of the dense rocks <br />of sedimentary, metamorphic, or igneous origin where fracturing, <br />faulting, welltllering and solution have created extensive cracks, <br />crevices and solution channels that lie below the water table. <br />Detailed studies commonly are necessary to determine the extent <br />of such areas, and few such studies have been made in Colorado. <br />