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San Luis Valley, Colorado DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GEORGE OTIS SMITH, DIRECTOR WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 240 GEOLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES OF THE SAN LUIS VALLEY, COLORADO BY C. E. SIEBENTHAL WASHINGTON GOVEKNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1910 CONTENTS. Page. Introduction.............................................................. 7 Scope of report......................................................... 7 Date of report.......................................................... 7 Acknowledgments...................................................... 7 Literature............................................................ 8 Geography:................................................................ 9 Location and character................................................ 9 Topography........................................................... 10 Drainage.............................................................. 12 Hydrography......................................................... 12 Stream gagings.................................................... 12 Relation of the San Luis Valley irrigation to the volume of the Rio Grande in New Mexico........................................... 15 Reservoir sites..................................................... 18 Irrigation......................................................... 19 Canals......................................................... 19 Pumping the "sub. ".......................................... 20 Pumping the underflow........................................ 20 Canvas flumes.................................................. 21 Climate................................................................ 22 Agriculture........................................................... 25 Order of settlement................................................ 25 Native vegetation................................................. 26 Cultivated crops..................................................... 26 Methods of irrigation............................................... 27 Geology.................................................................. 29 Introductory statement................................................. 29 The west ranges....................................................... 29 Alamosa Creek valley.............................................. 30 . Cat Creek' valley.................................................. 31 Rock Creek valley................................................ 31 West of Monte Vista................................................ 32 Vicinity of Sauguache............................................. 32 Age of rocks........................................ r.............. 32 Glaciation........................................................ 33 The east ranges...............................'......................... 34 Stratigraphy and structure.......................................... 34 Glaciation......................................................... 37 San Luis Hills........................................................ 37 The valley............................................................ 39 Santa Fe formation................................................ 39 Alamosa formation................................................. 40 Quaternary deposits............................................... 47 Sand dunes.................................................... 47 Alluvial fans...... \............................................ 47 Alluvium...................................................... 49 Alkali lake deposits........................................... 50 Geologic history of the San Luis Valley................................. 50 3 4 CONTENTS. Page. Underground waters................................... ^................... 54 General considerations.................................................. 54 Prerequisite features of artesian system............................. 54 Application to the San Luis Valley.................................. 54 Source of the artesian water........................................ 55 Adequacy and permanency of supply................................ 56 Capacity-.......................................................... 56 Flowing wells. .................................... 57 Marginal region. .................................... -67 Alamosa and vicinity. .................................... 57 Henry station and vicinity..................................... 60 Fountain neighborhood......................................... 62 La Jara and vicinity........................................... 63 Sanford and vicinity........................................... 66 Vicinity of Los Sauces......................................... 67 Parma and vicinity............................................. 68 Monte Vista and vicinity...................................... 69 Center and vicinity............................................. 71 Lockett and vicinity.......................................... 73 Veteran neighborhood.......................................... 74 Swede Corners and vicinity..................................... , 75 Warner neighborhood........................................... 76 Moffat and vicinity............................................ 76 Mirage and vicinity........................................... 78 San Isabel and vicinity......................................... 78 Baca grant..................................................... 79 Medano ranch................................................. 80 Calkins ranch.................................................. 80 Central or Mosca-Hooper region...................................... 81 Occurrence of gas and colored water............................. 81 Mosca and vicinity............................................. 82 Hooper and vicinity............................................ 85 Kinney ranch.................................................. 88 Jacobs ranch.................................................. 89 San Luis village................................................... 90 Nonflowing wells...................................................... 92 Antonito........................................................... 92 Manassa and vicinity............................................... 93 Capulin and vicinity............................................... 95 Bowen School and vicinity......................................... 97 Monte Vista and vicinity.......................................... 98 Del Norte.......................................................... 98 La Garita and vicinity............................................. 99 Sagauche and vicinity-............................................ 99 Villa Grove and vicinity............................................ 99 Crestone and vicinity.............................................. 100 Baldy station and vicinity.......................................... 100 Fort Garland and vicinity.......................................... 101 Springs............................................................... 101 Mclntire Springs................................................... 101 Dexter Spring...................................................... 102 Other springs along Conejos River.................................. 102 Spring Creek...................................................... 102 CONTENTS. 5 Underground waters Continued. Paga. Springs Continued. Russell Springs. ... ............... .......,........__............. 102 Hunt Springs...................................................... 102 Antelope Springs................................................... 103 Medano Springs.................................................... 103 Washington Springs............................................... 103 Chamberlain Hot Springs.......................................... 103 Valley View Hot Springs........................................... 104 Hot Creek Springs. P ............................................... 104 Characteristics of the artesian basin...................................... 105 Grouping of wells.................................................. 105 Variations in flow................................................. 105 Seasonal variations............................................ 105 Gradual failure of wells......................................... 105 Sudden failure of wells........................................ 107 Irregularities in flow from the same aquifer...................... 107 Variation in temperature^.......................................... 108 Vertical variation............................................. 108 Seasonal variation............................................. 110 Quality of the water................................................... Ill Uses of the water....................................................... 115 Wells..................................................................... 116 Well drilling.......................................................... 116 Approximate measurement of flowing wells............................... 118 From filled pipes................................................... 118 From partly filled pipes............................................ 122 Index.................................................................... 125 ILLUSTRATIONS. Page. PLATE I. Map of San Luis Valley................................... In pocket. II. A, Blanca Peak from the southwest; B, Cirque at the head of Rock Creek.......................................................... 10 III. A, Lava-capped slope dipping beneath the valley west
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