Hydrology of the Us Army Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site
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HYDROLOGY OF THE U.S. ARMY PINON CANYON MANEUVER SITE, LAS ANIMAS COUNTY, COLORADO By Paul von Guerard, P.O. Abbott, and Raymond C. Nickless U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Water-Resources Investigations Report 87-4227 Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY FORT CARSON MILITARY RESERVATION Denver, Colorado 1987 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR DONALD PAUL MODEL, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Dallas L. Peck, Director For additional information Copies of this report can write to: be purchased from: District Chief U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Geological Survey Books and Open-File Reports Box 25046, Mail Stop 415 Federal Center, Bldg. 810 Denver Federal Center Box 25425 Denver, CO 80225-0046 Denver, CO 80225-0425 CONTENTS Page Glossary----------------------------------------------------------------- viii Abstract----------------------------------------------------------------- 1 Introduction------------------------------------------------------------- 2 Purpose and scope--------------------------------------------------- 3 Description of study area------------------------------------------- 6 Geologic setting--------------------------------------------------------- 9 Geologic formations------------------------------------------------- 9 Geologic structures------------------------------------------------- 12 Ground water------------------------------------------------------------- 14 Dakota-Purgatoire aquifer------------------------------------------- 18 Hydraulic properties------------------------------------------- 20 Well yields 21 Water levels--------------------------------------------------- 21 Other aquifers------------------------------------------------------ 21 Ground-water quality------------------------------------------------ 21 Specific conductance------------------------------------------- 26 Major ions and dissolved solids-------------------------------- 27 Iron and manganese--------------------------------------------- 29 Selenium --- 29 Radiochemicals------------------------------------------------- 30 Development considerations------------------------------------------ 31 Surface water------------------------------------------------------------ 31 Streamflow characteristics------------------------------------------ 32 Contributions of tributary streamflow to the Purgatoire River-- 33 Flow-duration analysis----------------------------------------- 35 Historical floods---------------------------------------------- 36 Flood-frequency analysis--------------------------------------- 36 Instream transit loss in Taylor Arroyo and its effects on streamflow reaching the Purgatoire River--------------------- 41 Inflow to stock-watering reservoirs---------------------------- 43 Surface-water rights------------------------------------------------ 45 Surface-water quality----------------------------------------------- 56 Instream water-quality standards for the Purgatoire River------ 46 Summary statistics of water-quality data----------------------- 47 Dissolved solids----------------------------------------------- 48 Relations of dissolved solids and major ions to specific conductance--------------------------------------------- 50 Daily mean specific conductance for the Purgatoire River-- 52 Dissolved-solids and suspended-sediment loads------------------ 52 Dissolved solids------------------------------------------ 53 Suspended sediment---------------------------------------- 57 Sediment yields---------------------------------------------------------- 61 Sediment yields measured from stock-watering reservoirs------------- 62 Estimating sediment yields------------------------------------------ 64 Estimating sediment yields using drainage-basin characteristics 64 Estimating sediment yields using the Pacific Southwest Inter- Agency Committee method-------------------------------------- 66 Summary------------------------------------------------------------------ 70 References cited--------------------------------------------------------- 72 Supplemental information------------------------------------------------- 77 System of numbering streamflow-gaging stations---------------------- 78 System of numbering well locations---------------------------------- 78 iii PLATES Plate 1. Map showing locations of surface-water, water-quality, and precipitation data-collection network------------------In pocket Plate 2. Map showing locations of inventoried wells, springs, and water pipelines----------------------------------------In pocket FIGURES Page Figure 1. Map showing location of the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site------- 3 2. Graph showing mean monthly precipitation at the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site for water years 1984 and 1985---------------- 7 3-7. Maps showing: 3. Generalized soils--------------------------------------- 8 4. Generalized geology------------------------------------- 10 5. Major tectonic features in southeastern Colorado-------- 12 6. Structure contours of the top of the Cheyenne Sandstone Member of the Purgatoire Formation-------------------- 13 7. Potentiometric level and direction of movement of water in the Dakota-Purgatoire aquifer for water years 1984 and 1985 19 8. Graph showing water levels for eight selected wells at the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site for water year 1985------------- 22 9. Map showing areal distribution of ground-water samples collected from the Dakota-Purgatoire aquifer--------------- 23 10-16. Graphs showing: 10. Relation of specific conductance to concentrations of dissolved solids in water from selected wells in the Dakota-Purgatoire aquifer at the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site----------------------------------------- 27 11. Major water type and major-ion composition of water samples from 20 wells at the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site 28 12. Concentrations of dissolved gross alpha radiation and dissolved radium-226 for three wells and a spring used for domestic water supply------------------------ 30 13. Monthly streamflow for the streamflow-gaging stations, Purgatoire River near Thatcher and Purgatoire River at Rock Crossing near Timpas, for water years 1984 and 1985 32 14. Flow-duration curves for the streamflow-gaging stations, Van Bremer Arroyo near Model and Purgatoire River near Thatcher -- 35 15. Estimated flood magnitude and frequency for the streamflow-gaging station Van Bremer Arroyo near Model 37 16. Estimated flood magnitude and frequency for the streamflow-gaging station Purgatoire River near Thatcher 38 IV Page Figure 17. Map showing surface runoff for storm of August 19-22, 1984, at the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site -- - ---- - 43 18-28. Graphs showing: 18. Number of periods of surface runoff and total monthly surface runoff for the stock-watering reservoir network at the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site for water years 1984 and 1985 44 19. Comparison of proportions of major ions for the stream- flow-gaging stations Van Bremer Arroyo near Model; Purgatoire River near Thatcher; Taylor Arroyo below Rock Crossing, near Thatcher; and Purgatoire River at Rock Crossing, near Timpas - --- - 49 20. Correlations and regressions of concentrations of calcium and sulfate to specific conductance at the streamflow-gaging station Purgatoire River near Thatcher 51 21. Monthly dissolved-solids load for the 1985 water year at the streamflow-gaging stations Purgatoire River near Thatcher and Purgatoire River at Rock Crossing, near Timpas --- -- -- - 54 22. Relation between cumulative dissolved-solids load and daily mean streamflow for the streamflow-gaging stations Purgatoire River near Thatcher and Purgatoire River at Rock Crossing, near Timpas---- --- - - 55 23. Monthly dissolved-solids load for the streamflow- gaging station Van Bremer Arroyo near Model for water year 1985 56 24. Monthly suspended-sediment load for the streamflow- gaging station Purgatoire River near Thatcher for water years 1984 and 1985 58 25. Monthly suspended-sediment load for the streamflow- gaging station Purgatoire River at Rock Crossing, near Timpas for water years 1984 and 1985 - - 59 26. Relation between cumulative suspended-sediment load and daily mean streamflow for the streamflow-gaging stations Purgatoire River near Thatcher and Purgatoire River at Rock Crossing, near Timpas-- - --- - - 60 27. Variation of sediment yield with precipitation---- 61 28. Relation between measured annual mean sediment yields and estimated annual mean sediment yields using the Pacific Southwest Inter-Agency Committee (PSIAC) method ---- - - - -- -___ - 68 29. Diagram showing system of numbering wells, using township, range, and section - --- - 79 30-37. Graphs showing monthly streamflow for the streamflow-gaging station: 30. Big Arroyo near Thatcher, for water years 1984-85 82 31. Van Bremer Arroyo near Tyrone, for water year 1985-- 83 32. Van Bremer Arroyo near Model, for water years 1984-85- 84 33. Taylor Arroyo below Rock Crossing, near Thatcher, for water years 1984-85 85 34. Lockwood Canyon Creek near Thatcher, for water years 1984-85 86 v Page Figures 30-37. Graphs showing monthly streamflow for the streamflow- gaging stations Continued: 35. Red Rock Canyon Creek at mouth, near Thatcher, for water years 1984-85 87 36. Chacuaco Creek at mouth, near Timpas, for water years 1984-85 88 37. Bent Canyon Creek at mouth, near Timpas, for water years 1984-85 89 38. Graph showing selected chemical properties and constitu ents with instream water-quality standards for the streamflow-gaging station Purgatoire River near Thatcher, for water years 1983-85 ---- 108 39. Graph showing selected chemical properties and constitu ents with instream