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ER-4536 CONCEPTUALIZATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE HYDROLOGIC SYSTEM IN THE CARLSBAD CAVERNS NATIONAL PARK REGION/ NEW MEXICO b y Richard S. Tallman ARTHUR LAKES LIBRARY COLORADO SCHOOL O f MINES GOLDEN, CO 80401 ProQuest Number: 10781230 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a com plete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest ProQuest 10781230 Published by ProQuest LLC(2018). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States C ode Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 ER-4536 A thesis submitted to the Faculty and Board of Trustees of the- Colorado School of Mines in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering (Geological Engineer). Golden, Colorado Date K m M. /6. m Signed: Richard S. Tallman Approved: enneth E. Kolm Thesis Advisor Golden, Colorado Date -— Roger Slatt Professor and Head Department of Geology and Geological Engineering ii ER-4536 ABSTRACT This report describes the hydrologic system of the Carlsbad Caverns National Park (CCNP) Region, New Mexico. Recent pressure to drill oil and natural gas wells in the vicinity of the CCNP has prompted a need to better understand and predict the hydrology of the area, in order to help assess potential environmental impacts. Results of this study include a regional numerical model, estimated ranges and distributions of hydrologic parameters, and the identification of local hydrologic control mechanisms in the Guadalupe Ridge area. A regional hydrologic model delineates the area as a closed basin; bounded to the south, west and north by ground-water divides, and to the east by the Pecos River. The general direction of ground-water flow is shown to be towards the northeast; from regional recharge high in the Guadalupe Mountains to regional discharge along the Pecos River. Modeling efforts result in estimated ranges of the hydrologic parameters. Precipitation is shown to range from 25 inches per year in the Guadalupe Mountains to 13 inches per year in the Pecos River Valley. Recharge is estimated to average about ten percent of precipitation. Fracture iii ER-453 6 orientations define two transmissivity tensors of N75-90°E and NO—15°W. Hydraulic conductivity values range from 1 to 5 00 feet per day, and are shown to increase towards the discharge zone. Locally significant structural and topographic controls are identified in the immediate area of CCNP. These control mechanisms include fracturing and folding associated with the Capitan Reef Complex. iv ER-4536 TABLE OP CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT .................................................. iii LIST OF FIGURES ...................................... vii LIST OF TABLES ....................... X ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................... xi Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION ................................ 1 1.1 Purpose and Objectives .......................... 1 1.2 Location and Geography .......................... 2 1.3 Previous Work ....................................... 2 1.4 General Approach ................................ 9 1.4.1 Data Gathering and Preparation ......... 10 1.4.2 Conceptualization and Characterization . 10 1.4.3 Hydrogeologic Model Development ........ 13 1.4.4 Hydrologic System Model Development.... 14 1.4.5 Numerical Modeling .......................... 15 Chapter 2. SURFACE CHARACTERIZATION .................... 17 2 .1 Topography......................................... 17 2.2 G e o m o r p h o l o g y ................................... 2 0 2.3 C l i m a t e ........................................... 24 2.4 Surface W a t e r ..................................... 25 2.5 V e g e t a t i o n......................................... 30 Chapter 3. HYDROGEOLOGIC FRAMEWORK ...................... 33 3.1 Geologic History Since the Pennsylvanian .... 33 3.2 Stratigraphy....................................... 34 3.2.1 Delaware Basin Sediments ................... 41 3.2.2 The Shelf Aquifer ............................42 3.2.3 The Capitan Aquifer ......................... 43 3.3 S t r u c t u r e ...........................................44 3.3.1 Folding Along Guadalupe Ridge ............. 45 3.3.2 Fractures Along Guadalupe Ridge .......... 5 0 v ER-4536 3.3.3 Regional Drainage Basin Divides ........... 57 Chapter 4. THE HYDROLOGIC SYSTEM ........................ 59 4.1 Hydrologic D a t a .................................... 59 4.2 Perched Aquifers .............. 61 4.3 Guadalupe R i d g e .......... 63 4.4 The Regional System ................................64 4.4.1 Boundary Conditions ........................ 64 4.4.2 Recharge .......................................65 4.4.3 Ground water Flow ............................66 4.4.4 Discharge .................................... 73 Chapter 5. NUMERICAL MODEL OF THE REGIONAL HYDROLOGIC SYSTEM ...........................................74 5.1 Model Application ..................................74 5.1.1 Introduction .................................. 74 5.1.2 Geometry and Grid Orientation ...............76 5.1.3 Boundary Conditions ............. .......... 7 6 5.1.4 Input Parameters ............................ 83 5.2 Steady State Model Results ...................... 89 5.2.1 Variable Head Nodes ......................... 91 5.2.2 Constant Head Nodes and Mass Balance . .96 5.3 Sensitivity Analysis of Recharge and Hydraulic Conductivity ..................................... 98 Chapter 6. SIGNIFICANT RESULTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS . 100 6.1 Summary of Significant Results ............... 100 6.2 Recommendations for Future Wo r k .................. 103 REFERENCES CITED ....................................... 105 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................... 108 APPENDIX A: WELL DATABASE ........................... 112 APPENDIX B: MODEL INPUT AND OUTPUT FILES 12 0 vi ER-4536 LIST OF FIGURES 1. Study area location....................................... 3 2. Study area boundaries and extent......................... 4 3. Four primary aquifers in the region......................7 4. Generalized cross section showing relative permeabilities............................................8 5. study approach showing specific applications to this study.............. 11 6. Generalized topographic map ........................... 18 7. Topographic and geomorphic features of the study area............................................... 21 8. Drainage patterns; derived from drainage overlay, 1:100,000.............................................. 23 9. Contour of estimated annual precipitation, in inches per year. ............................................2 6 10. Distribution of springs and seeps in the study area. 2 7 11. Conceptual perched water table surfaces with topographic profiles of the bottom of: a) Dark Canyon, and b) Rocky Arroyo .......................... 2 9 12. General distribution of vegetation in the study area. 32 13. Cross section looking east, along reef escarpment, showing associated structure 3 6 14. Stratigraphic column showing correlation of Permian formations............................................... 37 15. Generalized geologic map of the study area............. 38 16. Hydrostratigraphic column of Permian units............. 39 vii ER-4536 17. Cross section looking north, showing Huapache monocline and associated structure................... 46 18. Block diagram showing the relationship of structural controls to the distribution of caves and springs on Guadalupe Ridge........................................ 47 19. Lineaments of surface drainage segments in the Serpentine Bends Quadrangle........................... 51 20. Rose diagram of drainage segment lineaments in the Serpentine Bends Quadrangle........................... 52 21. Rose diagram of linear passages in Carlsbad Cavern. 54 22. Comparison of plan-view outlines of: a) Carlsbad Cavern, b) Rattlesnake Canyon and c) Slaughter Canyon. ......................................... 55 23. Primary drainage basin divides........................ 58 24. Schematic diagram of the regional hydrologic system. 60 25. Potentiometric surfaces of the perched aquifers in the shelf units..................................... 62 26. Conceptual contour map of the regional potentiometric surface in the Shelf Aquifer.......................... 67 27. Conceptual contour map of the regional potentiometric surface in the Capitan Aquifer........................ 68 28. Cross section showing the mixing of waters in the regional discharge zone near Carlsbad, New Mexico ............................................... 71 29. Contour of the bottom of layer 1 ........ ............. 77 30. Contour of the bottom of layer 2 ...................... 78 31. Cross section of the numerical model looking northeast, along reef axis............................ 79 32. Boundary conditions for layer 1 .................... 80 33. Boundary conditions for layer 2 ....................... 81 viii ER-4536 34. Recharge array, in inches per year.................... 85 35. Hydraulic conductivity array for layer 1 ............. 87 36. Hydraulic conductivity array for layer 2 ............... 88 37. Contour of heads in layer 1 ...................... 92 38. Contour of heads in layer 2 ...........................

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