DWR_2882539

• Title: GROUND WATER LEVELS IN THE ALLUVIAL AND BEDROCK AQUIFERS OF WESTERN COLORADO
• Year: 2005
• Document Type - Publications and Reports: Ground Water Levels Report

WATER LEVELS iN SELECTED ALLUVIAL AND BEDR�CK
AQUlFERS
�F WESTERN COL4RADa
20�5
This report presents water le�el data from 57 welis located in Archuleta, Delta, GarField,
Jackson, La Plata, Mesa, Moffat, Montrose, and Rio Blanco Counties. Most of the wells for
which data are reported were originalfy cvnstructed in the 1970's by the LJni#ed States
Geological Survey (USGS} as a part of their statewide monitoring well network. The USGS
routinely measured water levels in these wells until 1982.
A new report format was created in 2�04 and this format is used in this report. This is the
result vf placing all statewide water level data intv HYDR�BASE, which is a uniform database
for all data collected and managed by the Division of Water Resources. Tabular data are
presented for each well for the pre�ious 10 years and graphical data are presented for the
entire period of record. All historical measurement data is available in an Access database
format on request. It is anticipated that continual impro�ements in data presentation and
format will be made in future editions af this report.
Due to budget constraints, no water le�el measurements were made in 2�D2. The most
recent water le�els shown in this report were taken during September and �ctober of 2005.
�f the 57 wells listed in the report, water le�els were obtained in 54 of the wells.
The wells listed in this report are now part of a statewide water le�el monitoring network
funded by Senate Bill 200 �1987 Legislative Session}. That legislation directed that a
portion of the fees colfected for applications for water well permits be used for the
establishment o� a program to monitor ground water le�els throughout the state.
In 1991, the Di�ision of Water Resvurces initiated a program fo monitor water fevels in
about 50 of the wells that had been a part of the USGS monitoring system. A small number
of additional wells measured are used for irrigation, stock watering, or domestic purposes.
Several of the Rio Bfanco County wells are akso measured at least quarterly in connection
with the ongoing mvnitoring in and around the C-B oi! shale tract, and the solution mining
operation of Natural 5oda Inc.'s White River nahcolite {sodium bicarbonate) plant. These
data are also presented where a�ailable.
In this report, the wells are sorted by location number. Only one well is measured in each of
the following counties: Archuleta, La Plata, Mesa, and Moffat. Rio Blanco County contains
the largest number of welis (33) being monitored. The well name, shown for each well
describes the weil location in the standard well numbering system used by the Bureau of
Reclamation and the USGS. The aquifers monitored include the allu�ium, the Fruitland,
Mesa Verde, Wasatch, North Park, San Jose, Dakota/Burro Canyon, Green River, Uinta
and Parachute Creek members vr formations. The specific aquifer being monitored in a
well is shown on the data sheet for that well.
Tabular data are presented for each well for the pre�ious 10 years. Graphical data are
presented for the entire period vf � record. When interpreting the hydrographs, you should
note carefiully the month and year of the measurement, as there is a 9- or 10-year da#a gap