DWR_3214886

• Title: GROUND WATER LEVELS IN WESTERN COLORADO ALLUVIAL AND BEDROCK AQUIFERS
• Year: 1996
• Document Type - Publications and Reports: Ground Water Levels Report

WATER LEVELS IN SELECTED BEDROCK AND ALLUVIAL AQUIFERS
OF WESTERN COLORADO
1996
This report presents water level data from 57 wells 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 originally constructed in the 1970's by the United States Geological Survey as a part of
their state-wide monitoring well network. The U.S.G.S. routinely measured water levels in these wells
until 1982. That historical data is included in this report, along with more recent data gathered by the
Colorado Division of Water Resources.
Beginning in 1991, the Division of Water Resources initiated a program to monitor water levels in
about 50 of the wells that had been a part of the U.S.G.S. monitoring system. A small number of the
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 River nahcolite (sodium bicarbonate) plant. These data are also presented where
available. No wells were measured by DWR in 1994.
In this report, the wells are first grouped by county in alphabetical order, and then by section, township
and range within each county. Only 1 well is measured in each of the following counties; Archuleta,
La Plata, Mesa, and Moffat. Rio Blanco County contains the largest number of wells (34) being
monitored. The well I.D., shown at the top of each tabular data page, and along the right margin of
each hydrograph describes the well location in the standard well numbering system used by the Bureau
of Reclamation and the United States Geological Survey. The aquifers monitored include the alluvium,
the Fruitland, Mesa Verde, Wasatch, North Park, San Jose, Dakota/Burro Canyon, Green River, Uinta
and Parachute Creek Formations or Members. 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 represented 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 historic U.S.G.S. data and the DWR data. Generally,
this gap occurs during the years between 1979 and 1991. The dashed sgog nt on each hydrogaph
identifies the period during which no data were gathered. In addition, some data points that were
obviously incorrect have been deleted before preparation of the hydrographs. The hydrograph for each
well is presented on the back of the tabular data sheet. Hydrographs were not created for wells with
only 2 or 3 data points.
Water level data prior to 1983 were gathered by personnel of the United State Geological Survey.
Data since 1990 has been gathered by Division of Water Resource personnel, Steve Joliat and Glenn
Graham. Some of the data for well Nos. SCO0109814ADCI and SC00109814ADC2 located in Rio
Blanco County were gathered by North American Chemical Company personnel. The data contained
in this report was compiled, checked, and prepared for publication by Glenn Graham.