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predominantly gray to buff, fine- to medium -grained sandstone. It is generally friable and <br />forms rounded cliffs where exposed. The Entrada is a potential aquifer, but, because it <br />is generally too deep and is overlain by more productive water -bearing formations, it is <br />not a common water exploration target. <br />The Morrison is composed of marl, siltstone, clay and shale with some interbedded <br />sandstone, limestone and conglomerate. The maroon, red, gray and green variegated <br />shales are distinct in outcrop, but can be confused with the underlying Dockum red beds <br />in drill cuttings. The Morrison is reported to range from 0 to 325 feet in thickness. In <br />southeastern Colorado and southwestern Kansas, the Morrison-Dockum is considered <br />an aquifer, and is elsewhere a part of the Permian -Pennsylvanian aquitard (Macfarlane). <br />For purposes of this report, the Morrison is considered a leaky barrier which separates <br />the Cheyenne and Dockum in the north and west parts of the District, and wedges out to <br />the southeast, thus not being a very extensive aquitard. <br />6.2.5 Cheyenne Sandstone <br />The Cheyenne Sandstone was previously considered to be the lower member of the <br />Purgatorie, with the Kiowa Shale being the top member. The Cheyenne, Kiowa and <br />Dakota are each clastic, lower Cretaceous formations comprised of interbedded gray <br />sandstone, siltstone and shale. The Cheyenne and Dakota are predominately <br />sandstone and the Kiowa predominately shale; distinction of these units in drill cuttings <br />can be difficult. As described below, the heterogeneity of the Kiowa suggests that it is <br />largely a leaky interval between the water -bearing Dakota and Cheyenne units. The <br />Kiowa was an adequate seal to create artesian conditions in the Cheyenne in an area <br />north of Walsh. The Cheyenne has been an important aquifer in the District. <br />The Cheyenne Sandstone is a fine- to coarse-grained, light gray to buff sandstone. It is <br />generally friable, contains lenses of conglomerate and ranges from 0 to 250 feet in <br />thickness. The Cheyenne forms cliffs and steep valleys in the southwest part of the <br />Basin and pinches out in the southeast corner of Baca County. The Cheyenne is <br />generally described only as "sandstone", but an average of 10 detailed driller's logs <br />indicated about 15% shale in the sandstone. <br />6.2.6 Kiowa Shale <br />The Kiowa Shale is light -gray to black with interbedded thin limestones and, locally, <br />sandstones. Although generally reported simply as black shale or blue shale, the thin, <br />well -cemented sandstone interbeds may make the Kiowa difficult to separate from the <br />Dakota and the Cheyenne sandstones, in drill cuttings. The Kiowa pinches out with the <br />VI 3 <br />99-028.003\Phase 2 Report\Hydrogeology <br />