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Research about Jackson County, Colorado

Source-linked reports with geographic coverage including Jackson County, Colorado.

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Snow depth retrieval with an autonomous UAV-mounted software-defined radar

We present results from a field campaign to measure seasonal snow depth at Cameron Pass, Colorado, using a synthetic ultrawideband software-defined radar (SDRadar) implemented in commercially available Universal Software Radio Peripheral (USRP) software-defined radio hardware and flown on a small hexacopter unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). We coherently synthesize an ultrawideband signal from stepped frequency 50-MHz subpulses across 600-2100-MHz frequency bands using a novel nonuniform nonlinear synthetic wideband waveform reconstruction technique that minimizes sweep time and completely eliminates problematic grating lobes and other processing artifacts traditionally seen in stepped waveform synthesis. We image seasonal snow across two transects: a 400-m open Meadow Transect and a 380-m forested transect. We present a surface detection algorithm that fuses data from LiDAR, global navigation satellite system (GNSS)/global positioning system (GPS), and features in the radargram itself to obtain high precision estimates of both snow and ground surface reflections, and thus total snow depth, represented as two-way travel time. The measurements are validated against independent ground-based ground-penetrating radar measurements with correlations coefficients as high as ρ = 0.9 demonstrated. Finally, we compare backscattered radar data collected by the UAV-SDRadar while hovering proximal to a known snow pit with in situ measured snow dielectric profiles and demonstrate imaging of snow stratigraphy.

Colorado

Geohydrology of the North Park area, Jackson County, Colorado

Increasing population in rural and suburban areas of Colorado is causing greater reliance on ground water as a source of domestic supply. In the primarily rural area of Jackson County, for example, the number of registered water wells increased from about 100 in 1972 to about 500 in 1995. Most of the new wells were drilled after 1988 and supply water to ranches and summer homes. In Jackson County, ground water is pumped from a series of shallow alluvial aquifers along principal stream valleys and from deeper, more extensive, bedrock aquifers. In much of the area, the alluvial aquifers are thin and can be dewatered by moderate water- level declines. Knowledge of the nature and extent of the alluvial and bedrock aquifers, the sources of recharge and discharge, and the effects of ground- water withdrawal on water levels in the aquifers is vital if management of the area's water resources is to ensure continued availability of a dependable water supply.

Colorado

Application of the U.S. Geological Survey's precipitation-runoff modeling system to Williams Draw and Bush Draw basins, Jackson County, Colorado

The U.S. Geological Survey 's precipitation-runoff modeling system was calibrated for this study by using daily streamflow data for April through September, 1980 and 1981, from the Williams Draw basin in Jackson County, Colorado. The calibrated model then was verified by using daily streamflow data for April through September, 1982 and 1983. Transferability of the model was tested by application to adjoining Bush Draw basin by using daily streamflow data for April through September, 1981 through 1983. Four model parameters were optimized in the calibration: (1) BST, base air temperature used to determine the form of precipitation (rain, snow, or a mixture); (2) SMAX, maximum available water-holding capacity of the soil zone; (3) TRNCF, transmission coefficient for the vegetation canopy over the snowpack; and (4) DSCOR, daily precipitation correction factor for snow. For calibration and verification, volume and timing of simulated streamflow were reasonably close to recorded streamflow; differences were least during years that had considerable snowpack accumulation and were most during years that had minimal or no snowpack accumulation. Calibration and optimization of parameters were facilitated by snowpack water-equivalent data. Application of the model to Bush Draw basin to test for transferability indicated inaccurate results in simulation of streamflow volume. Weighted values of SMAX, TRNCF, and DSCOR from the calibration basin were used for Bush Draw. The inadequate results obtained by use of weighted parameters indicate that snowpack water-equivalent data are needed for successful application of the precipitation-runoff modeling system in this area, because frequent windy conditions cause variations in snowpack accumulation. (USGS)

Colorado

Chemical analyses of coal and coal-associated rock samples from the Coalmont Formation, McCallum and Coalmont areas, North Park, Jackson County, Colorado

As part of a continuing program by the U.S. Geological Survey to collect and chemically analyze representative samples of U.S. coals, 44 coal and coal-associated rock samples were collected from the Paleocene and Eocene, Coalmont Formation in the McCallum and Coalmont areas, North Park, Jackson County, Colorado. Twenty-eight samples (24 coal and 4 coal-associated rock) are from the McCallum area and 16 samples (12 coal and 4 coal-associated rock) are from the Coalmont area. Locations of ten core holes and three mines where the samples were collected, and an outline of North Park are shown on figure 1. The 44 samples are briefly described in table 1.

Colorado

Exploratory drilling during 1979 in the McCallum coal field, Jackson County, Colorado

Rotary drilling of two drill holes in the McCallum coal field, Jackson County, Colorado, was completed by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) in July 1979. The holes are within the area of the short-term lease application. C-27931 held by Wyoming Fuels of Lakewood, Colorado. Drill-hole GNW1 is located in T. 3 N., R. 78 W., sec. 10, SIANE14, in the Gould NW quadrangle, and drill-hole JMM2 is located in T. 8 N., R. 78 W., sec. 10, SW 1 / 2 NE 1 / 4 , in the Johnny Moore Mountain quadrangle (fig. 1). The area is part of the McCallum Known Recoverable Coal Resource Area (KRCRA). The purpose of the drilling was to gather additional data concerning depth, thickness, and extent of the Sudduth coal bed in order to calculate a reserve base for the area of the lease application. USGS personnel chose the drill-hole sites, conducted the geophysical logging, and recorded the descriptions of cuttings at 5-foot intervals.

Colorado

Geology of the North and South McCallum anticlines, Jackson County, Colorado, with special reference to petroleum and carbon dioxide

The McCallum anticlines, embracing an area about 2 miles wide and 12 miles long, are about 6 miles east of the town of Walden, Jackson County, Colo., on the east side of the Continental Divide. A cover of flat-lying Quaternary gravel obscures the outcrop of Pierre shale at many points on the two anticlines. Wells start in the upper part of the Pierre and penetrate all of the underlying Upper Cretaceous series to the top of the Dakota sandstone, where production of oil and carbon dioxide is obtained. The first prospecting for oil was reported in 1912, but it was not until December 1926 that oil was discovered in commercial quantities. Two geologic sections across the anticlines, extending to the outcrop of the Dakota sandstone at the base of the Medicine Bow Range, to, the east, disclosed a marked thickening between this formation and a fossiliferous sandstone in the Pierre shale which was used as a key bed. Immediately beneath the Dakota sandstone along ore of these cross sections a sandy volcanic ash resembling that found at the horizon of the Mowry shale in Wyoming was discovered. However, it is considered here the top bed of the Morrison formation. The impossibility of obtaining dips along the crests, owing to the cover of terrace gravel, made it necessary to construct ten structure sections across these anticlines, using the geometry of conic sections in their development. From the geometric figures developed structure contours were obtained graphically. The occurrence of carbon dioxide in large volumes in association with petroleum on each of these anticlines provides an unusual problem in oil production. Experimental data relative to the physical properties of this gas offer an approach to the solution of the problem. The applicability of such data to actual operating conditions is yet to be tried, but the work of early investigators in the field of physical chemistry suggests the feasibility of mixing air with the carbon dioxide to assure continuity of production, which heretofore has not been attained in this area.

Colorado