GROUND-WATER REPORT 4 Geology and Ground-Water Resources of Northeastern Socorro County, New Mexico BY ZANE SPIEGEL GEOLOGIST, U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Prepared cooperatively by the United States Geological Survey, New Mexico Bureau of Mines & Mineral Resources, and the State Engineer of New Mexico 1955 STATE BUREAU OF MINES AND MINERAL RESOURCES NEW MEXICO INSTITUTE OF MINING & TECHNOLOGY CAMPUS STATION SOCORRO, NEW MEXICO NEW MEXICO INSTITUTE OF MINING & TECHNOLOGY E. J. Workman, President STATE BUREAU OF MINES AND MINERAL RESOURCES Eugene Callaghan, Director THE REGENTS MEMBERS Ex OFFICIO The Honorable John F. Simms ........................ Governor of New Mexico Mrs. Georgia L. Lusk ................... Superintendent of Public Instruction APPOINTED MEMBERS Robert W. Botts ................................................................ Albuquerque Holm O. Bursum, Jr. ................................................................. Socorro Thomas M. Cramer .................................................................. Carlsbad John N. Mathews, Jr. ................................................................. Socorro Richard A. Matuszeski ...................................................... Albuquerque Contents Page ABSTRACT ............................................................................................ 1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................. 4 Purpose and scope of investigation ...................................................... 4 Method of investigation ........................................................................ 4 Previous investigations ......................................................................... 4 Supervision and acknowledgments ...................................................... 6 GEOGRAPHY ........................................................................................ 7 Location, area, and access .................................................................... 7 Drainage ............................................................................................... 7 Physiography ........................................................................................ 8 Climate ............................................................................................... 10 Economy ............................................................................................. 12 Natural resources ............................................................................ 12 Agriculture ..................................................................................... 13 Population ........................................................................................... 13 GEOLOGY AND GROUND WATER .................................................. 15 Principles of ground-water occurrence ............................................... 15 Basic concepts ................................................................................ 15 Springs ............................................................................................ 19 Well-numbering system ..................................................................... 20 Geologic units .................................................................................... 21 Precambrian rocks .......................................................................... 23 Water-bearing properties ............................................................. 23 Mississippian system ...................................................................... 29 Water-bearing properties ............................................................. 29 Pennsylvanian system .................................................................... 29 Madera limestone ........................................................................ 30 Sandia formation ......................................................................... 30 Water-bearing properties of Pennsylvanian rocks ........................ 31 Page Recharge ................................................................................ 31 Discharge ............................................................................... 31 Chemical quality .................................................................... 32 Permian (?) system ......................................................................... 32 Bursum formation ...................................................................... 82 Water-bearing properties ........................................................ 38 Abo formation ............................................................................ 33 Water-bearing properties ........................................................ 33 Permian system .............................................................................. 34 Yeso formation ........................................................................... 34 Water-bearing properties ........................................................ 35 San Andres formation ................................................................ 35 Water-bearing properties ........................................................ 36 Triassic system ............................................................................... 36 Dockum group ............................................................................ 36 Water-bearing properties ........................................................ 37 Cretaceous system .......................................................................... 37 Water-bearing properties ............................................................ 37 Tertiary system ............................................................................... 37 Baca formation ........................................................................... 38 Water-bearing properties ........................................................ 38 Datil formation ........................................................................... 38 Water-bearing properties ........................................................ 38 Intrusive rocks ............................................................................ 39 Popotosa formation .................................................................... 39 Inferred geologic history ........................................................ 39 Water-bearing properties ........................................................ 40 Santa Fe formation ..................................................................... 40 Water-bearing properties ........................................................ 41 Quaternary system .......................................................................... 42 Alluvium .................................................................................... 42 Windblown sand ......................................................................... 44 Structure ............................................................................................ 44 Geomorphology ................................................................................ 45 Page GROUND-WATER AREAS ....................................................................... 47 Los Pinos and Manzano Mountains ........................................................ 47 Recharge and movement ..................................................................... 47 Discharge ............................................................................................ 48 Sepultura Canyon and vicinity ............................................................ 48 East slopes of mountains ..................................................................... 51 Limestone highlands ............................................................................... 52 Recharge and movement ..................................................................... 52 Discharge ............................................................................................ 53 Availability of ground water ............................................................... 53 Cuesta area .............................................................................................. 54 Recharge and movement ..................................................................... 54 Discharge ............................................................................................ 55 Rio Grande trough ................................................................................... 56 Rio Grande valley ............................................................................... 56 Llano de Sandia ................................................................................... 58 Llanos del Rio Puerco ......................................................................... 60 Rio Puerco valley and Llano de Albuquerque .................................... 63 Ladron Mountains and vicinity ........................................................... 65 Rio Salado valley ................................................................................ 66 Alamillo area ....................................................................................... 68 Joyita Hills .......................................................................................... 69 Valle del Ojo de la Parida and vicinity ............................................... 69 Valley of Arroyo Cibola ..................................................................... 71 WATER-LEVEL CONTOURS ..................................................................