Geohydrology of the San Agustin Basin, Alamosa Creek Basin
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Geohydrology of the San Agustin Basin, Alamosa Creek Basin upstream from Monticello Box, and upper Gila Basin in parts of Catron, Socorro, and Sierra Counties, New Mexico By R.G. Myers, J.T. Everheart, and C.A. Wilson U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-RESOURCES INVESTIGATIONS REPORT 94-4125 Prepared in cooperation with the NEW MEXICO STATE ENGINEER OFFICE Albuquerque, New Mexico 1994 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BRUCE BABBITT, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Gordon P. Eaton, Director For additional information Copies of this report can write to: be purchased from: U.S. Geological Survey District Chief Earth Science Information Center U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Reports Section Water Resources Division Box 25286, MS 517 4501 Indian School Rd. NE, Suite 200 Denver Federal Center Albuquerque, New Mexico 87110 Denver, Colorado 80225 CONTENTS Page Abstract.................................................................................................................................................. 1 Introduction........................................................................................................................................... 1 Purpose and scope...................................................................................................................... 3 Location and extent.................................................................................................................... 3 Ctimate....................................^ 3 Previous hydrologic investigations.......................................................................................... 4 Well- and spring-numbering system....................................................................................... 4 Acknowledgments...................................................................................................................... 5 Geohydrology........................................................................................................................................ 5 Regional setting and geologic history...................................................................................... 5 Geologic units and water-yielding characteristics................................................................. 9 Quaternary Period ........................................................................................................... 9 Quaternary and Tertiary Period...................................................................................... 10 Tertiary Period................................................................................................................... 10 Cretaceous Period............................................................................................................. 11 Triassic Period.................................................................................................................... 11 Permian Period.................................................................................................................. 11 Pennsylvanian Period....................................................................................................... 12 Soils........................................................................................................................... 12 Aquifer characteristics determined from geophysical studies............................................. 12 Surface electrical-resistivity soundings.......................................................................... 12 Gravity anomalies............................................................................................................. 14 Ground-water hydrology........................................................................................................... 17 San Agustin bolson-fill aquifer....................................................................................... 18 Datil aquifer....................................................................................................................... 24 Shallow upland aquifers.................................................................................................. 24 Alamosa Creek shallow aquifer...................................................................................... 26 Geothermal potential.................................................................................................................. 26 Summary................................................................................................................................................ 29 References.............................................................................................................................................. 30 111 PLATES (In pocket) Plate 1. Map showing location of wells, springs, vertical electrical-resistivity soundings/ and geohydrologic sections in the San Agustin Basin/ Alamosa Creek Basin upstream from Monticello Box/ and upper Gila Basin in parts of Catron, Socorro/ and Sierra Counties/ New Mexico. 2. Geohydrologic sections of the Plains of San Agustin. FIGURES Page Figure 1. Map showing location and physiographic features of the study area........................ 2 2. Diagram showing system of numbering wells and springs in New Mexico.............. 5 3. Map showing structural features of the study area and vicinity.................................. 6 4. Map showing surh'cial geology......................................................................................... 7 5. Map showing soil types...................................................................................................... 13 6. Map showing altitude of the bedrock surface in the Plains of San Agustin.............. 15 7. Complete Bouguer anomaly map..................................................................................... 16 8. Map showing approximate altitude of the water table in the San Agustin bolson-fill aquifer within the Plains of San Agustin................................................. 19 9. Map showing approximate saturated thickness of San Agustin bolson-fill aquifer containing freshwater in the Plains of San Agustin.................................................. 22 10. Map showing approximate altitude of the saline/freshwater interface in the Plains of San Agustin................................................................................................................ 23 11. Map showing approximate altitude of the water table in the Datil aquifer............... 25 12. Map showing approximate altitude of the water table in the Alamosa Creek shallow aquifer............................................................................................................... 27 13. Map showing wells and springs with a point-of-discharge temperature equal to or greater than 21 degrees Celsius............................................................... 28 IV TABLES Page Table 1. Soil types in the San Agustin study area............................................................................ 33 2. Records of selected wells in the San Agustin study area................................................. 34 3. Records of selected springs in the San Agustin study area............................................. 49 4. On-site specific-conductance and temperature measurements of water from selected wells and springs in the San Agustin study area.......................................... 55 5. Water-quality analyses for selected wells and springs in the San Agustin study area........................................................................................................................... 62 6. Trace elements in water from selected wells and springs in the San Agustin study area........................................................................................................................... 66 7. Radiochemical analyses of water from selected wells and springs in the San Agustin study area............................................................................................................ 69 CONVERSION FACTORS AND VERTICAL DATUM Multiply By To obtain acre 4,047 square meter acre 0.4047 hectare acre-foot 1,233 cubic meter cubic foot per second 0.02832 cubic meter per second foot 0.3048 meter foot per mile 0.1894 meter per kilometer foot per day 0.3048 meter per day foot squared per day 0.0929 meter squared per day gallon per minute per foot 0.2070 liter per second per meter gallon 3.785 liter gallon per minute 0.06309 liter per second inch 25.4 millimeter mile 1.609 kilometer square mile 2.590 square kilometer Temperature in degrees Fahrenheit ( °F) or degrees Celsius (°C) can be converted as follows: °C = 5/9(°F-32) °F = 9/5(°C) + 32 Sea level: In this report "sea level" refers to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 a geodetic datum derived from a general adjustment of the first-order level nets of the United States and Canada, formerly called Sea Level Datum of 1929. GEOHYDROLOGY OF THE SAN AGUSTIN BASIN, ALAMOSA CREEK BASIN UPSTREAM FROM MONTICELLO BOX, AND UPPER GILA BASIN IN PARTS OF CATRON, SOCORRO, AND SIERRA COUNTIES, NEW MEXICO By R.G. Myers, J.T. Everheart, and C.A. Wttson ABSTRACT The San Agustin Basin, the Alamosa Creek Basin upstream from Monticello Box, and the upper Gila Basin are located in parts of Catron, Socorro, and Sierra Counties in west-central New Mexico. Four major aquifers are within the study area: (1) the San Agustin bolson-fill aquifer; (2) the Datil aquifer; (3) the shallow upland aquifers; and (4) the Alamosa