DWR_2882810

• Title: GROUND WATER LEVELS IN THE ALLUVIAL AND BEDROCK AQUIFERS OF WESTERN COLORADO
• Year: 2000
• Document Type - Publications and Reports: Ground Water Levels Report

1NATER LEVELS IN SELECTED BEDRaCK AND ALLUVfAL
AQL�IFERS
4F 1NESTERN C�L�RADO►
Z000
This report presents water level data from 57 wells Iocated in Archuleta, Delta, GarField,
Jackson, La Plata, Mesa, Moffat, Montrose, and Rio Blanco Counties. Most of the wells for
which data are reported were originally constructed in the 1970's by fihe United States
Geological Survey as a part of their statewide mvnitoring well network. The U.S.G,S.
routinely measured water levels in these wells until 1982. Tha# historical data is included in
this report, along with mvre recent data gathered by the Colorado Division of Water
Resources.
The wells listed in this report are now part of a state-wide water le�el monitoring network
funded by Senate Bilf 20� �198i Legislative Session}. That legislation directed that a
portion of the fees collected for water well permits be used for the establishment of a
program to monitor ground water ie�els throughout the state.
In 1991, the Division of Water Resources initiated a program to monitor water le�els in
about 50 of the wells that had been a part of the U.S,G.S. monitoring system. A small
number of additional wells measured are used for irrigation, stock watering, or domestic
purposes. Several of the Rio Blanco County wells are also measured at least quarterly in
connection with the ongoing monitoring in and around the C-b oil shale tract, and the
solution mining operation of North American Chemical Company's White Ri�er nahcolite
(sodium bicarbonate) plant. These data are also presented where available. No wells were
measured by DWR in �994.
in this report, the wells are grouped first by county in alphabeticai order and then by
township, range, and section within each county. Only 1 well is rneasured in each of the
following counties; Archuleta, La Plata, Mesa, and Moffat. Rio Bfanco County contains the
larges# number of wells (34} being monitored. The well I.D., shown on each tabular data
page, and along the left margin of each hydrograph describes the wef I location in the
standard well numbering system used by the Bureau of Reclamation and the United States
Geotogical Survey. The aquifers monitored include the alluvium, the Fruitland, Mesa Verde,
Wasatch, North Park, San Jose, Dakota/Burro Canyon, Green RE�er, Uinta and Parachute
Creek members or formations. The specific aquifer being monitored in a well is shown on
the data sheet for that well.
In addition to the tabular data, the water level change for each well is presented on a
hydrograph. When interpreting the hydrographs, you should note carefully the month and
year of the measurement, as there is a 9 or 10 year data gap between the his#oric U.S.G.S.
data and the DWR data. GeneraEly, this gap occurs during the years between 1979 and
1991. The dashed seQment on each hvdrograph identifies the period durinQ which no data
were gathered. In addition, some data points that were obviously� incvrrect ha�e heen
deleted before preparation of the hydrographs. The hydrograph for each well is presented
on the page opposite the tabular data. Hydrographs were not created for wells with only 2
or 3 data points.