• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

GROUND-WATER POTENTIAL OF THE LEADVILLE LIMESTONE ON THE WHITE RIVER UPLIFT IN GARFIELD AND RIO BLANCO COUNTIES, COLORADO By Ralph W. Teller and Frank A. Welder U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Water-Resources Investigations Report 83-^036 Lakewood, Colorado 1983 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT Of THE INTERIOR JAMES G. WATT, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Dallas L. Peck, Director For additional information For sale by: write to: Open-File Services Section District Chief Western Distribution Branch U.S. Geological Survey, MS U.S. Geological Survey, MS 306 Box 25046, Denver Federal Center Box 25^25, Federal Center Lakewood, CO 80225 Denver, CO 80225 Telephone: (303) 23^-5888 CONTENTS Page Abstract--------------- ---- ----- ______________ __ ____ ____ -j Introduction----- ---------------- ___________ __ ____ __________ -j Purpose and scope-------------------------------------------------- 2 Location and size of study area------------------------------------ 2 Previous invest 5 gat ions-------------------------------------------- 2 Geology----------------------------------------------------------------- 2 Stratigraphy----- ------------------------ ____________ __ __ 2 Precambrian rocks--------------------------------------------- 5 Paleozoic rocks----------------------------------------------- 5 Mesozoic rocks------------------ -------- ---- ________ 5 Cenozoi c rocks------------------------------------------------ 8 Structure---------------------------------------------------------- 8 Hydrogeologic characteristics of the Leadville Limestone---------------- 8 Porosi ty----------------------------------------------------------- 8 Permeabi1jty------------------------------------------------------- 10 Flow pattern----------------------------------- -- ------ ---- 12 Springs------------ ---------------- - ---- __________________ 12 Water qualfty---------------------------------------------------- 12 Numbering system----------------------------------------------- -- 18 Need for future investigations-------------------- -------------------- 18 Seepage-run analysis----------------------------------------------- 18 Isotope studies---------------------------------------------------- 20 Exploratory drill ing---------------------------------------------------- 21 Cone 1 us ions------------------------------------------------------------- 22 Selected references---- --------------------------------------------- 22 ILLUSTRATIONS Page Plate 1. Measured strat{graphic section at Rifle Falls, Garfield County, Colorado--- ---- ---- ---- ---- -- --- In pocket 2. Map showing location of springs on the White River Uplift, Garfield and Rio Blanco Counties, Colorado---- In pocket Figure 1. Map showing location of study area------------------------- 3 2. Generalized east-west geologic section----------------------- 6 3. Map showing extent and thickness of the Eagle Valley Evapo- rite in northwestern Colorado------------------------------ 7 k. Map showing structure contours on top of the Leadville Limestone-------------------------------------------------- 9 5. Diagram showing system of spring location used in Colorado--- 19 6. Map showing potential areas for exploratory drilling sites--- 21 i i i TABLES Page Table 1. Generalized geohydrologic section-­ ri_ tfi,. L 10 Art9 » Springs inventoried in the study an ^ "" ~~~ -- - - |J} 3. Chemical quality of water from sele ;ted springs, September 5, i oQ 1 _ _ _ i -7 METRIC CONVERSI0N The inch-pound units used in this repbrt may be converted to nterna- tional System of Units (Si) by the following bonversion factors: Multiply By To obtain acre 0.40^7 hectare acre-foot ,233 cubic meter cubic foot per second 0.02832 cubic meter per second foot 0.3048 meter gal Ion per minute 6.309x10' 5 cubic meter per second i nch 25.^0 mi 11imeter mi le 1.609 kilometer square mi 1e 2.590 square kilometer National Geodetic Vert-Loal Datum of 1929: A geodetic datum derived from a general adjustment of the first-order level nets of both the United States and Canada, formerly called mean sea level. IV GROUND-WATER POTENTIAL OF THE LEADVILLE LIMESTONE ON THE WHITE RIVER UPLIFT IN GARFI ELD AND RIO BLANCO COUNTIES, COLORADO By Ralph W. Teller and Frank A. Welder ABSTRACT The Leadville Limestone of Mississippian age crops out in a large area in the western part of the White River Uplift in northwestern Colorado. Preliminary studies indicate that the Leadville is extensively fractured, cavernous, and water bearing and is recharged by precipitation, snowmelt, and streamflow. Water from 100 springs flowing from the Leadville is chemically suitable for most uses; specific conductance ranges from 45 to 1,950 micro- mhos per centimeter at 25° Celsius. The water is of the calcium carbonate type and is successfully used in the raising of game fish. On the flanks of the White River Uplift, where the Leadville dips into the subsurface, the formation probably is permeable and water bearing. Exploratory drilling and testing are needed to determine more exactly the water-bearing potential of the Leadville Limestone and its potential as a water supply for expanding energy development in the area. INTRODUCTION Expanded development of energy resources in northwestern Colorado is creating additional demands on the limited surface-water resources of the region. Along with the water demands for energy development is the threat of ecological deterioration as the natural flow of streams is decreased. Tradi­ tional surface-water impoundment for streamflow regulation is being chal­ lenged from both environmental and economic standpoints. Before irreversible management decisions are made to undertake the costly development of surface- water supplies, the potential of the ground-water resources needs to be defined and considered. During the 1960's investigations by the U.S. Geological Survey deter­ mined that large quantities of ground water, perhaps 25 million acre-feet or more, occur above, within, and below oil-shale deposits in the Green River and Uinta Formations of Eocene age in the Piceance Basin of northwestern Col­ orado. Recent studies indicate that another major source of ground water may be the Leadville Limestone of Mississippian age. The Leadville is exposed throughout a large area on the White River Uplift and is directly recharged by precipitation, snowmelt, and streamflow. Hydrogeologic evidence indicates that the Leadville Limestone is a major aquifer and that large quantities of ground water have entered and are moving through the formation into the subsurface toward the south, west, and north­ west away from the White River Uplift. The Leadville Limestone on the flanks of the White River Uplift at relatively shallow depths of about 1 ,000 feet may constitute a major underground reservoir [aquifer) containing water that is chemically suitable for most uses, The drilling of several exploratory test holes could confirm this hypothesis. Purpose and Scofre This report describes a preliminary reconnaissance of the water-bearing properties of the Mississippian Leadville Limestone in the western part of the White River Uplift (synonymous with the White River Plateau). The purpose of this preliminary investigation is to determine areas of the Leadville Limestone suitable for exploratory drilling aihd testing at relatively shallow depths to confirm the quantity and quality of:water in storage. Location and Size of SjLudy Area The study area, approximately 420 square miles, is i n Rio Blanco and Garfield Counties (fig. l) in northwestern Colorado on the west flank of the White River Plateau, which is the physiograph c expression of the White River Uplift. The Plateau is bounded by the White River on the north, the volcanic Flat Tops on the east, and the Grand Hogback monocline on the south and west. The southern part of the study area is drained by tributaries of the Colorado River; the northern part is drained by the Wh ite River and its tributaries, Land-surface altitudes range from about 6,500 feet in the southern valleys to more than 10,000 feet on Burro Mountain. Previous Investiga t ions Some of the most detailed geologic wo rk on the White River Uplift was done by Bass and Northrup (1963). The study! by MaHory and others (1966) of the geology of the Flat Tops Primitive Area w^s followed by Mallory's (1971) detailed work on the Eagle Valley Evaporite of Pennsylvanian age. GEOLOGY Stratigraphy Rocks in the study area range in age from Precambrian through Quaternary (see table 1). This investigation is concerned primarily with the Leadville Limestone of Mississippian age. ______ ________I 40° BOUND ARYXOF STUDY__>£/ AREA Glenwood Canyon Base from U. S. Geological Survey State base map, 1969 10 15 MILES i 0 5 10 15 KILOMETERS Figure 1. Location of study area. Ta b 1 e 1 . Geneva lized geohyd?ologic eee 'ion of the White River Uplift :ra- them System Series St rat igraphic unit Physical characteristics Hydrologic characteristics Quater­ Holocene Glacial, landslide, Gravel, Sand, loess, and clay, undif- Some shallow wells yield less than and and alluvial de­ ferentiated; travertine deposits. 50 gallons per minute. Cenozolc nary Pleistocene posits ? Terti- Pliocene(T) Basalt flows and Dense resistant alkali basalt in lava Shallow fracture systems draining in ary(?) and intrusives flows, interbedded tuffs and volcanic springs and seeps. Miocene(?) conglomerates. | Mesa Verde Group Sandstones, shale, and coal. No data col lected. Creta­ Upper Mancos Shale Sandstone and gray to dark gray marine No data collected. ceous shale. Lower Dakota Sandstone or quart: ite; some

Load more

  28

Copy Link