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At least 595 records · Page 33Linked to original sources
USGS2012

Hydrogeology, water chemistry, and transport processes in the zone of contribution of a public-supply well in Albuquerque, New Mexico, 2007-9

The National Water-Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA) of the U.S. Geological Survey began a series of groundwater studies in 2001 in representative aquifers across the Nation in order to increase understanding of the factors that affect transport of anthropogenic and natural contaminants (TANC) to public-supply wells. One of 10 regional-scale TANC studies was conducted in the Middle Rio Grande Basin (MRGB) in New Mexico, where a more detailed local-scale study subsequently investigated the hydrogeology, water chemistry, and factors affecting the transport of contaminants in the zone of contribution of one 363-meter (m) deep public-supply well in Albuquerque. During 2007 through 2009, samples were collected for the local-scale study from 22 monitoring wells and 3 public-supply (supply) wells for analysis of major and trace elements, arsenic speciation, nutrients, dissolved organic carbon, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), dissolved gases, stable isotopes, and tracers of young and old water. To study groundwater chemistry and ages at various depths within the aquifer, the monitoring wells were divided into three categories: (1) each shallow well was screened across the water table or had a screen midpoint within 18.3 m of the water level in the well; (2) each intermediate well had a screen midpoint between about 27.1 and 79.6 m below the water level in the well; and (3) each deep well had a screen midpoint about 185 m or more below the water level in the well. The 24-square-kilometer study area surrounding the "studied supply well" (SSW), one of the three supply wells, consists of primarily urban land within the MRGB, a deep alluvial basin with an aquifer composed of unconsolidated to moderately consolidated deposits of sand, gravel, silt, and clay. Conditions generally are unconfined, but are semiconfined at depth. Groundwater withdrawals for public supply have substantially changed the primary direction of flow from northeast to southwest under predevelopment conditions, to west to east under modern conditions. Analysis of age tracers indicates that groundwater from most sampled wells is dominated by old (pre-1950) water, ranging in mean age from about 4,000 years to more than 22,000 years, but includes a fraction of young (post-1950) recharge. Patterns in chemical and isotopic data are consistent with the conclusions that shallow groundwater in the area typically includes a fraction that evaporated prior to recharge and (or) flushed accumulated solutes out of the unsaturated zone during recharge, and that shallow groundwater has mixed to deeper parts of the aquifer, which receives recharge mainly by seepage from the Rio Grande. Among shallow and intermediate wells that produced water with a fraction of young recharge, that fraction ranged between 1.5 and 46 percent. Samples from the two deep wells had groundwater ages exceeding 18,000 years, with no fraction of young recharge. Two supply wells (including the SSW) had a fraction of young recharge, which ranged between about 3 and 11 percent, despite mean groundwater ages exceeding 10,000 years. The fraction of young recharge to the SSW varied seasonally, probably because seasonal pumping patterns affected local hydraulic gradients and (or) because of flow through the well bore when the SSW is not pumping. Well-bore flow data collected during winter (low-pumping season) indicated that about 61 percent of the water pumped from the SSW entered the well from the intermediate part of the aquifer, and that the remaining 39 percent entered from the deep part of the aquifer. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were detected in samples from most shallow and intermediate monitoring wells and from two of three supply wells, including the SSW. Detected VOCs were primarily chlorinated solvents or their degradation products. Many of the wells in which most of these VOCs were detected are located near known sites of solvent contamination that were targeted for sampling because trichloroethylene (TCE) and cis-1,2-dichloroethylene had been detected in the SSW, and several of these wells may have become contaminated at least partly because of enhanced vertical migration associated with the pumping of and (or) direct migration down deep well bores. Except for TCE in the sample from a shallow monitoring well, all detections of VOCs were at concentrations below Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Concentrations of all VOCs detected in the supply wells were less than one-tenth of the corresponding MCLs. However, the presence of VOCs in all but deep groundwater, including the detection of chloroform (a chlorination byproduct) in several shallow wells, indicates that groundwater in the study area commonly is affected by human activities, even to substantial depths. The only natural contaminant detected at concentrations near or above its MCL was arsenic, which has been detected at elevated concentrations across broad areas of the MRGB. Concentrations of arsenic, present primarily as arsenate, exceeded the MCL of 10 micrograms per liter (μg/L) in water from the two deep wells (one of which had the highest concentration, 35 μg/L), from one intermediate well, and from two supply wells, including the SSW. Water-quality and solid-phase data from this study are consistent with elevated arsenic concentrations in groundwater being related to pH-dependent desorption of arsenic from ferric oxyhydroxides in sediments in deep parts of the aquifer. Concentrations of nitrate ranged between 1.3 and 5.4 milligrams per liter (mg/L) in water from shallow wells screened across the water table, but were less than 0.9 mg/L in water from all but one deeper well. Nitrogen isotopes and chloride/bromide ratios for shallow wells were consistent with natural soil nitrogen. Nitrate concentrations and nitrogen isotopes indicated that denitrification is occurring at intermediate aquifer depths, and that the progress of the denitrification reaction typically is greatest for wells that include a fraction of groundwater associated with particular recharge sources or with known sites of contamination contributing organic compounds that can provide a carbon source for microbial respiration. Overall, hydrologic and chemical data from the study area indicate that young recharge is reaching the aquifer across broad areas and is migrating from shallow to intermediate depths of the aquifer as a result of mixing that is associated with human development of groundwater. Consequently, groundwater that human activities in the urban study area have affected is present at depths that are within the screened intervals of public-supply wells, resulting in detections of VOCs and implying greater vulnerability to anthropogenic contamination than might be assumed based on the dominantly old age of the regional groundwater. However, the fractions of old groundwater that public-supply wells produce substantially dilute the anthropogenic contaminants, while contributing natural contaminants (primarily arsenic) to the wells. Based on data from the SSW, vulnerability of public-supply wells to natural and anthropogenic contaminants in the area changes through time, including with seasonal changes in pumping stresses that alter the fractions of young and old water being contributed to wells.

New Mexico↗
USGS1992

Geologic framework of pre-Cretaceous rocks in the Southern Ute Indian Reservation and adjacent areas, southwestern Colorado and northwestern New Mexico

This report is a discussion and summary of Jurassic and older rocks in the Southern Ute Indian Reservation and adjacent areas, southwestern Colorado and northwestern New Mexico, and is based on analysis of geophysical logs and observations of outcrops. The Reservation, which is located in the northern San Juan Basin, has been the site of deposition of sediments for much of the Phanerozoic. Geologic times represented on the Reservation are the Precambrian, Cambrian, Devonian, Mississippian, Pennsylvanian, Permian, Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous, Tertiary, and Quaternary. Rocks of Ordovician and Silurian age have not been reported in this region. Thicknesses of pre-Cretaceous sedimentary rocks range from about 750 feet (229 meters) on the Archuleta arch, east of the Reservation, to more than 8,300 feet (2,530 meters) just northwest of the Reservation. About 5,500 feet (1,676 meters) of pre-Cretaceous sedimentary rocks occur in the central part of the Reservation, near Ignacio. At Ignacio the top of the Jurassic lies at a depth of 7,600 feet (2,316 meters) below the surface, which is composed of Tertiary rocks. As much as 2,500 feet (762 meters) of Tertiary rocks occur in the area. More than 10,000 feet (3,048 meters) of Cretaceous and younger rocks, and 15,600 feet (4,755 meters) of all Phanerozoic sedimentary rocks occur in the vicinity of the Reservation. In the early Paleozoic the area that includes the Southern Ute Reservation was on the stable western shelf of the craton. During this time sediments that compose the following shallow-marine clastic and carbonate rocks were deposited: the Upper Cambrian Ignacio Quartzite (0-150 feet; 0-46 meters), Upper Devonian Elbert Formation (50-200 feet; 15-61 meters), Upper Devonian Ouray Limestone (10-75 feet; 3-23 meters), and Mississippian Leadville Limestone (0-250 feet; 0-76 meters). Mixed carbonate and clastic deposition, which was punctuated by a unique episode of deposition of evaporite sediments, continued through the Pennsylvanian after a significant episode of erosion at the end of the Mississippian. Pennsylvanian rocks on the Reservation are the Molas Formation (20-100 feet; 6-30 meters) and Hermosa Group (400-2,800 feet; 122-853 meters), which consists of the Pinkerton Trail Formation (40-120 feet; 12-36 meters), Paradox Formation and equivalent rocks (200-1,800 feet; 61-549 meters), and Honaker Trail Formation (200-1,300 feet; 61-396 meters). A unit that is transitional between the Pennsylvanian and Permian is the Rico Formation, which is about 200 feet (61 meters) thick across most of the Reservation area. The close of the Paleozoic Era was marked by a great influx of arkosic clastic sediments from uplifted highlands to the north of the Reservation area during the Permian. Near the paleomountain front the Cutler Formation (presently as thick as 8,000 feet; 2,438 meters) formed as a result of deposition of arkosic sediments; however, the original thickness of the Cutler is unknown due to an unconformity at its top. In the area of the Reservation the Cutler has group status and has been divided into several formations: the Halgaito Formation (350-800 feet; 107-244 meters), Cedar Mesa Sandstone and equivalent rocks (150-350 feet; 46-107 meters), Organ Rock Formation (500-900 feet; 152-274 meters), and De Chelly Sandstone (0-100 feet; 0-30 meters). The sediments of these formations were deposited in a variety of environments, including eolian, mud-flat, and fluvial systems. Following an episode of erosion in the Early and Middle(?) Triassic, deposition in the area of the Southern Ute Reservation continued during the Mesozoic. Sediments of the Upper Triassic Dolores and correlative Chinle Formations were deposited in fluvial, lacustrine, and minor eolian environments. On the Reservation the Dolores is 500-1,200 feet (152-366 meters) thick. Lower Jurassic eolian and fluvial deposits may have been present in much of the Reservation area but have been removed

Professional Paper↗
USGS1982

Dissolved solids and sodium in water from the High Plains aquifer in parts of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming

In 1978, the U.S. Geological Survey initiated a 5-year study of the High Plains regional aquifer to provide: (1) Hydrologic information needed to evaluate the effects of continued ground-water development; and (2) computer models to predict aquifer response to changes in ground-water development. The plan of study for the High Plains Regional Aquifer-System Analysis was described by Weeks (1978). A description of the High Plains aquifer and a map of the 1978 water table were presented by Gutentag and Weeks (1980). Maps of the bedrock geology, altitude of aquifer base, and saturated thickness of the High Plains aquifer were published by Weeks and Gutentag (1981). Water-level and saturated-thickness changes, from predevelopment to 1980, were mapped by Luckey, Gutentag, and Weeks (1981). This report describes the areal distribution of dissolved solids and sodium in the water of the High Plains aquifer. Data used in this study were provided by the U.S. Geological Survey and State agencies in each of the eight States in the High Plains. Their contribution is an integral part of this investigation.

Hydrologic Atlas↗
USGS2006

Aquifer-test data for wells H-1, H-2A, H-2B, H-2C, and H-3 at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, southeastern New Mexico

A series of aquifer tests was performed by the U.S. Geological Survey on geologic units of Permian age at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant site between February 1979 and July 1980 in wells H-1, H-2 complex (H-2A, H-2B, and H-2C), and H-3. The tested geologic units included the Magenta Dolomite and Culebra Dolomite Members of the Rustler Formation, and the contact zone between the Rustler and Salado Formations. Selected information on the tested formations, test dates, pre-test static water levels, test configurations, and raw data collected during these tests are tabulated in this report.

Open-File Report↗
USGS1954

Botanical prospecting for uranium on La Ventana Mesa, Sandoval County, New Mexico

A botanical sampling program has been completed by the U.S. Geological Survey on La Ventana Mesa, Sandoval County, N. Mex. A uranium-bearing coal in the Allison-Gibson members of the Cretaceous Mesaverde formation crops out in erosional remnants of the mesa.The coal is capped by a well-fractured 65-foot sandstone bed through which roots of a pinyon-juniper forest penetrate. Samples of several hundred branches of trees growing on top of the mesa were collected and analyzed for uranium. The assays ranged from 0.1 part per million to 2.3 ppm uranium in the wood ash. Dead branches, which were found to contain more uranium in the ash than live branches, were sampled where possible. The results have been contoured to indicated probable areas of mineralized coal. Parts of the north butte are recommended as favorable for physical exploration.

New Mexico↗
USGS2010

Stratigraphy and Mesozoic–Cenozoic tectonic history of northern Sierra Los Ajos and adjacent areas, Sonora, Mexico

Geologic mapping in the northern Sierra Los Ajos reveals new stratigraphic and structural data relevant to deciphering the Mesozoic–Cenozoic tectonic evolution of the range. The northern Sierra Los Ajos is cored by Proterozoic, Cambrian, Devonian, Mississippian, and Pennsylvanian strata, equivalent respectively to the Pinal Schist, Bolsa Quartzite and Abrigo Limestone, Martin Formation, Escabrosa Limestone, and Horquilla Limestone. The Proterozoic–Paleozoic sequence is mantled by Upper Cretaceous rocks partly equivalent to the Fort Crittenden and Salero Formations in Arizona, and the Cabullona Group in Sonora, Mexico. Absence of the Upper Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous Bisbee Group below the Upper Cretaceous rocks and above the Proterozoic–Paleozoic rocks indicates that the Sierra Los Ajos was part of the Cananea high, a topographic highland during the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous. Deposition of Upper Cretaceous rocks directly on Paleozoic and Proterozoic rocks indicates that the Sierra Los Ajos area had subsided as part of the Laramide Cabullona basin during Late Cretaceous time. Basal beds of the Upper Cretaceous sequence are clast-supported conglomerate composed locally of basement (Paleozoic) clasts. The conglomerate represents erosion of Paleozoic basement in the Sierra Los Ajos area coincident with development of the Cabullona basin. The present-day Sierra Los Ajos reaches elevations of greater than 2600 m, and was uplifted during Tertiary basin-and-range extension. Upper Cretaceous rocks are exposed at higher elevations in the northern Sierra Los Ajos and represent an uplifted part of the inverted Cabullona basin. Tertiary uplift of the Sierra Los Ajos was largely accommodated by vertical movement along the north-to-northwest-striking Sierra Los Ajos fault zone flanking the west side of the range. This fault zone structurally controls the configuration of the headwaters of the San Pedro River basin, an important bi-national water resource in the US-Mexico border region.

Sierra Los Ajos↗
USGS2010

Protocols for geologic hazards response by the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory to activity within the Yellowstone Volcanic System

Executive Summary The Yellowstone Plateau hosts an active volcanic system, with subterranean magma (molten rock), boiling, pressurized waters, and a variety of active faults with significant earthquake hazards. Within the next few decades, light-to-moderate earthquakes and steam explosions are certain to occur. Volcanic eruptions are less likely, but are ultimately inevitable in this active volcanic region. This document summarizes protocols, policies, and tools to be used by the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO) during earthquakes, hydrothermal explosions, or any geologic activity that could lead to a volcanic eruption. Yellowstone National Park is home to Yellowstone Caldera, the largest volcanic system by volume in the United States, as well as a vigorous hydrothermal system composed of pressurized subsurface boiling waters and active faults capable of generating substantial seismicity. The region is subject to hazards spanning a wide range of intensities, magnitudes, likelihood of occurrence, and geographic extent of impact. These hazards include small and comparatively common hydrothermal explosions, occasional strong earthquakes, rare relatively non-explosive lava flows, and very rare large explosive volcanic eruptions. Addressing the broad style of potential hazards and the vast spatial and temporal scales over which these hazards can occur requires a general plan that outlines the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO) response to a hazardous or potentially hazardous geological event or unrest (defined as departure from normal activity levels). The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Volcano Science Center (VSC) Response Plan for Significant Volcanic Events in the United States (Moran and others, 2024) forms the basis of any response by YVO but will be modified to suit the specific characteristics of the observatory, which operates as a consortium of nine federal, state, and academic institutions. Decisions on declaring an event response or “activity with potential” (defined as unrest that is not immediately hazardous but that may evolve into a hazardous event), as well as any changes in Volcano Alert Level and Aviation Color Code or the release of formal Information Statements, will be made by the USGS via the YVO Scientist-in-Charge (SIC) in consultation with the leads of the YVO member agencies. The YVO response to hazardous or potentially hazardous geological activity in or around Yellowstone National Park will focus on the collection and analysis of data relevant to the location and style of the activity. Those data will be interpreted within the existing geological framework for the region to develop probabilistic assessments of potential outcomes. These interpretations and assessments will be used to support decision making by emergency management officials including Yellowstone National Park managers or within the National Incident Management System if an Incident Command System (ICS) is activated. YVO will also convene a communications group open to each member agency to ensure consistent internal and external messaging and that the public is kept informed of the unrest through formal notifications, social media posts, online content, traditional media interviews, and community meetings. This response plan will be evaluated and updated as needed by the observatory and will be available through the YVO and USGS public websites. Responses to volcanic eruptions and responses outside of the Yellowstone region, but within the YVO area of responsibility (including Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, and Colorado), will follow the U.S. Geological Survey Volcano Science Center Response Plan for Significant Volcanic Events in the United States (Moran and others, 2024).

Idaho, Montana, Wyoming↗
USGS1975

Water resources data for New Mexico, water year 1974; Part 1, Surface water records

Surface-water records for the 1974 calendar year for New Mexico, including records of streamflow or reservoir storage at gaging stations, partial-record stations, and miscellaneous sites, are given in this report and their locations shown in figures 1, 2. Records for a few pertinent gaging stations in bordering States also are included. The records were collected and computed by the Water Resources Division of the U.S, Geological Survey under the direction of W. E. Hale, district chief. These data represent that portion of the National Water Data System collected by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in New Mexico. Records of discharge and stage of streams, and contents and stage of lakes and reservoirs are published in a series of U.S. Geological Survey water-supply papers entitled, "Surface Water Supply of the United States." Through September 30, 1960, these water-supply papers were in an annual series, and since then, are in a 5-year series. More information is given under heading, "Publications" on page 8. Beginning with the 1961 water year, surface-water records have been released by the Geological Survey in annual reports on a State boundary basis. Distribution of these reports is limited; they are designed primarily for rapid release of data shortly after the end of the water year to meet local needs. Beginning with the 1971 calendar year, surface water records have been released on a calendar year basis.

New Mexico↗