New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources
L o a d i n g
New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources - the state geologic survey - is a research and service division of the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (NM Tech).
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- Between October 1, 2012 and Sept 30, 2013 NM Tech hydrology faculty and students, and personnel from the NM Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources conducted a 1-year study to assess the subsurface flow patterns and the sustainability of the Truth or Consequences geothermal system. This report presents a summary of our findings.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- Ground-water-elevation data from wells and springs in the Santa Fe area were compiled from existing sources and supplemented with well measurements taken between 2003 and 2005 by the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources (NMBGMR) at New Mexico Tech, the New Mexico Office of the State Engineer (NMOSE), and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Existing data sources include the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED), the City and County of Santa Fe, private consultants and drilling companies, and records of the Eldorado Water and Sanitation District (EWSD). Water level data originate from municipal, commercial, exploration, and private domestic wells and the NMOSE multi-level piezometers. The ground-waterelevation contours were interpolated from point data using an inverse distance method (IDW) in ARC INFO 9.3, followed by manual adjustment at study area boundaries and well fields.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- The Taos Plateau in northern Taos County is a high-elevation, basalt-capped plain that lies between the Rio Grande and the Tusas Mountains. The plateau overlaps the New Mexico-Colorado border and forms the west rim of the Rio Grande gorge. The hydrogeologic field investigation of the northern Taos Plateau, conducted between October 2007 and October 2009, is the first comprehensive assessment of groundwater conditions on the Taos Plateau and interactions between local aquifers and the Rio Grande. The investigative approach integrates new and existing geologic, geophysical, hydrologic, and geochemical data. This study has been undertaken in parallel with a major investigation of the springs in the Rio Grande gorge (Bauer et al., 2007). These studies advance understanding of the groundwater system in the northern Taos Plateau, and the interconnection of groundwater and surface water along the Rio Grande in northern Taos County.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- The Pliocene to lower Pleistocene Ancha Formation, upper Santa Fe Group, is a relatively coarse deposit found south and west of Santa Fe, northern New Mexico. It extends southward from the downdropped southern Española Basin of the Rio Grande rift onto a weakly faulted structural platform that extends to the Rio Galisteo, a distance of approximately 30 km (19 mi). The Ancha Formation is found as far west as the La Bajada escarpment (also ~30 km distance). The Ancha Formation is texturally variable but predominately a sand to gravelly sand, with clayey-silty, fine-grained sand increasing towards the southwest. Examination of well logs indicates that the lower part of the Ancha Formation is commonly gravelly. Due in part to its relative coarseness, the Ancha Formation forms a locally important shallow aquifer for the Santa Fe area. The characteristics of the formation’s base and its thickness are important to regional groundwater studies and are also useful for other studies involving basin stratigraphy, structure, geophysical interpretations, and basin evolution. The base of the Ancha Formation coincides with a Pliocene erosional surface overlying tilted and faulted beds of the Tesuque Formation (upper Oligocene-upper Miocene), the Espinaso Formation (upper Eocene to lower Oligocene), the Galisteo Formation (Eocene), and, locally, older Mesozoic and Paleozoic units. In order to characterize the thickness and the basal contact of the Ancha Formation, three data sets were evaluated: (1) cuttings and geophysical logs of key exploration drill holes and water wells, including monitoring wells; (2) lower resolution, generalized lithologic logs from water wells; and (3) outcrop exposures of the basal contact. This report presents the latest lithologic, thickness, and hydrologic observations for the Ancha Formation in the Santa Fe embayment in the form of four map plates: (1) Plate 1, elevation contour map of the base of the Ancha Formation; (2) Plate 2, isopach map showing thickness of the Ancha Formation; (3) Plate 3, saturated thickness of the Ancha Formation (2000 to 2005 conditions); and (4) Plate 4, subcrop geologic map showing distribution of strata underlying the Ancha Formation. Supporting data are presented in five tables.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- Hydrogeologic investigation of the Arroyo Hondo Area, Taos County, New Mexico - Open-file Report 505The Arroyo Hondo ground water study reveals a complex, three-dimensional ground water system with multiple hydrostratigraphic units and aquifers. Distribution of the geologic and hydrostratigraphic units is presented through geologic maps and seven detailed cross sections that depict the distribution of geologic and hydrostratigraphic units, well data, surface water features, water levels, faults, and zones of fracturing and sediment layers in volcanic rocks. Cross sections are constructed both parallel and perpendicular to regional ground water flow and illustrate aquifers in the context of the geologic framework, the Rio Grande and the Rio Hondo, local acequias and other surface water features.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- Beginning in 2003, the New Mexico Bureau of Geology began a hydrogeological investigation of the Española Basin, with a special focus on the wetlands at La Cienega, Santa Fe County, New Mexico to better understand the inputs that support them (Johnson, 2009). The studies focused on linking the geology of the region and the groundwater flow to help understand the potential influences on the wetlands.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- Residents of the Albuquerque metropolitan area rely in part on groundwater for domestic, municipal, and industrial use. An understanding of changes in groundwater levels and groundwater storage changes in the aquifer is necessary to achieve groundwater management goals set by the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority. Periodic and continuous water-level measurements in wells and maps of the water-level elevation surface, or water table, derived from these data are essential tools for understanding the groundwater resources of the region. The Open File Report linked here describes the preparation and interpretation of a water-table map for the Albuquerque area for the winter of 2019–2020. Data provided were used to prepare the map. Water-level changes and changes in the amount of groundwater in storage in the aquifer since the predevelopment time period are presented in several images in the report. This project was funded by the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Authority1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- The agricultural economy of Union County in northeastern New Mexico is highly dependent on groundwater. Ongoing drought, large new groundwater appropriations both within the county and in adjacent parts of Texas, and large water level declines in wells have led to concern amongst county residents over groundwater supplies. This report documents the finding of a hydrogeology study begun in 2010 to better understand the aquifers utilized in east-central Union County. The study covers 650 square miles and extends from north of Clayton to south of Sedan, and east to the state line. The study was jointly sponsored by Northeastern Soil and Water Conservation District (NESWCD) and the Aquifer Mapping Program of the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources. The goals of the study were to refine the existing geologic map of the area, describe the geologic framework of the aquifers that are utilized, describe present and historic water levels and trends over time, and utilize these data with geochemistry and age-dating techniques to understand the occurrence, age, and flowpaths of groundwater, and to identify the locations and processes of groundwater recharge.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
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- On June 5, 2013, the Village of Magdalena notified the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) that their primary pumping well was not functioning properly. At that time, the NMED contacted the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources (the Bureau) for geologic and hydrologic information and technical support in the region. In reaction to the Magdalena village well problems, broad community concern developed regarding the present water conditions. To help address this concern, the Bureau and its Aquifer Mapping Program (with the NMED), commenced a small-scale hydrogeologic assessment supported entirely from New Mexico state funding. Bureau staff was onsite on several occasions in June 2013 to measure water levels and provide historic hydrogeologic information regarding the Village of Magdalena wells.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- Geology and hydrogeology of the southern Taos Valley, Taos County, New Mexico - Open-file Report 501The study was designed to collect new surface geologic data in the southern Taos valley, and to synthesize surface and subsurface geologic and hydrogeologic data into geologic and hydrogeologic conceptual models. The study area is restricted to the Taos embayment, and specifically includes nonpueblo land in the northwest corner of the Ranchos de Taos quad and the southwest corner of the Taos quad. We have added small areas of the Taos SW and Los Cordovas quads in order to include relevant geologic features. Mapping was concentrated on the high piedmont terrain within the embayment. The primary objectives of the study are: (1) To develop a geometric model of the surface and subsurface geology of the Taos embayment. This model will assist in locating areas for drilling exploratory water wells, and in locating critical areas for hydrologic monitoring. (2) To better understand the detailed basin-margin hydrogeology in the rapidly developing high piedmont area between Cañon and Talpa. This understanding will assist planners and developers in making decisions concerning water supply and water quality, and support geologists and drillers in developing domestic water supplies. (3) To investigate the influence of stratigraphy and structure on mountain-front recharge, and determine what recharge mechanisms are active at various locations. (4) To evaluate existing data resources and recommend directions of future data collection. Such an evaluation will assist agencies in making decisions about future water studies in the Taos area. The following deliverables are included in this report: geologic maps at scales of 1:12,000 and 1:6000, six geologic cross sections and block diagrams, a tectonic/geologic/geophysical map (1:24,000 scale) and preliminary model, a potentiometric surface map (1:12,000 scale) of the basin margin along the southern Taos embayment, and evaluation of mountain-front recharge mechanisms and routes of recharge. These data and interpretations are synthesized into a conceptual geologic and hydrogeologic models. In addition, we provide a discussion of areas for future ground water development and monitoring.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- Energy resources, like petroleum, coal, uranium and geothermal, all contribute to New Mexico's economy. Our petroleum research group produces primary research that supports the petroleum industry in New Mexico, along with curating and making publicly available an extensive collection of cores, cuttings, and well logging records. In the arena of geothermal resources, we operate equipment for measuring deep borehole temperatures, that can be used to evaluate geothermal resources around the state.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- Between 1598 and the 1880s, El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro (El Camino Real) served as a 1,600 mile long trade route between Mexico City and San Juan Pueblo/Ohkay Owingeh, New Mexico. El Camino Real transects the Jornada del Muerto, located in southern New Mexico. This stretch of the trail is thought to have been one of the most feared sections along El Camino Real due, primarily, to the scarcity of water. Archaeologists have hypothesized that water availability largely influenced the travel route and locations of parajes (campsites) in the Jornada del Muerto. This report describes a study in the Central Jornada del Muerto, conducted by the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources (NMBGMR). The study was funded the New Mexico Spaceport Authority (NMSA) and is the fulfillment of one of the measures specified in a mitigation plan that identifies a series of measures specifically intended to mitigate adverse effects to El Camino Real. These measures include actions that “will result in compilation of additional information about the properties and function of the trail and associated resources,” and “that will result in increased public awareness and appreciation of the trail.”1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- The suitability for managed aquifer recharge (MAR) in the eastern Albuquerque metropolitan area was mapped using weighted overlay analyses. The study area extends from the Rio Grande eastward to the Sandia Mountains and from Sandia Pueblo southward to ~1 mi (~2 km) south of Tijeras Arroyo. This area is under the jurisdiction of the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority (ABCWUA), which will likely be the main user of this work. We produced two maps for MAR suitability, each with a grid cell resolution of 100 x 100 m: one showing the suitability for deep-injection recharge (i.e., pumping water directly into the saturated zone) and the other for shallow recharge (by infiltration or vadose- zone injection). These maps depict three color-coded suitability bins—low suitability, moderate suitability, and high suitability—as well as exclusionary zones. A third map predicts the susceptibility of different areas to soil hydrocompaction, a potential adverse consequence of infiltrating surface water into certain types of previously unsaturated soils.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- Over the last several years, the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources (NMBGMR), Aquifer Mapping Program, has been working on numerous research aspects of the geology and hydrology of the San Agustin Plains, New Mexico. This White Paper, Open-File Report 615, provides a detailed overview and summary of the results from this work, and will be followed by a comprehensive, peer-reviewed report on these results, with data, in the coming months.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- The southeastern portion of New Mexico, specifically the Pecos Slope region of the Sacramento Mountains and the lower Pecos River valley, was selected for this initial study of 3-D mapping due to its wealth of geologic data, including thousands of well logs from oil and gas exploration. The major aquifers in this region are divided up as the Pecos Valley Alluvium, the Southern High Plains Aquifer System, and the Permian Aquifer System. The water resources in this area are in high demand and under intense active management: groundwater is relied upon to support large agricultural and dairy/cattle industries, as well as a booming oil and gas industry; surface water use is strictly limited by the terms of the Pecos River Compact, further highlighting the need for this project.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- The New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources serves as the state’s geologic survey, and has been working in Peña Blanca since March 2016 at the request of the NM Environment Department (NMED). The goal was to understand the local hydrogeology of Peña Blanca in order to make a recommendation for an area to place a new well. The need for a new well was highlighted by the discovery of solid waste, a hydraulic fluid tank and a diesel tank immediately adjacent to but on different property than the current municipal well. We met our goal by reviewing the existing literature on the local and regional geology, historical studies of groundwater levels, and regional groundwater chemistry studies. We also collected measurements of groundwater levels and sampled water chemistry in 25 municipal and domestic wells in and around Peña Blanca.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- Information and data from the Aquifer Mapping Program (AMP) of the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- These publications are related to water, water resources, and hydrogeology. The Groundwater Reports series was discontinued and was superseded by the Hydrologic Reports series. Hydrogeologic Sheets are essentially geologic maps of relatively small areas with a hydrogeologic focus and include data on groundwater elevation and chemistry. Of course, a large number of our publications not listed here — like geologic maps, open-file reports, and several of our technical monographs — relate directly or indirectly to water resources as well. We also have two Decision Makers Field Guides that focused on water resource issues that are written for a non-technical audience. See our Aquifer Mapping Program page for the results of more current water-related work.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- Data in this repository supplements published papers in our publications. Please refer to both the published material and the repository documentation before using this data. Please cite repository data as shown in each repository listing.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- Manual groundwater levels for wells in the state of New Mexico.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- In 2005, the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources initiated a hydrogeology study in the southern Sacramento Mountains with funding from legislative appropriations through the Otero Soil and Water Conservation district. The project was initiated and research funding was continued because of concerns about future water resources for local communities in the southern Sacramento Mountains. Over the past decade, water managers and residents have observed decreasing spring discharge and streamflow in the area, and significant declines of water-levels in wells. Land and resource managers have expressed interest in the potential to increase water availability by thinning woodlands in the mountain watersheds. The focus of this investigation has been to characterize the hydrogeologic framework of the southern Sacramento Mountains and surrounding areas. The results of this study also provide a foundation to assess the impact of tree thinning on groundwater-levels, spring discharge and streamflow in an ongoing study of a small mountain watershed.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- A data inventory sheet for the NMBGMR Pecos Valley Pilot - WaterSMART.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- Three years following the Gold King Mine (GKM) spill that released approximately 11 million liters of metal-laden mine drainage into the Animas River, the scientific community is still evaluating the effects of this acute environmental impact in the context of a chronically mineaffected region. People living within the region affected by the spill had two principal concerns in its aftermath: is the water safe and what are the spill effects on the plants and fish consumed by humans? These are related issues, and perhaps not easy to answer. The work reported here aims to answer the second question regarding spill effects on biota, while appreciating that doing so requires a sophisticated understanding of chemical element cycling and the interactions among the physical and biological components of the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems within the influence of the Animas and San Juan Rivers.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- New Mexico has a rich legacy of petroleum and mineral exploration and production, most of which has involved subsurface investigations. Hundreds of thousands of holes have been drilled into the subsurface, some to depths of 20,000 feet or more. Considerable data have been collected from these wells in the form of electrical or geophysical logs, cuttings, and rock cores. These materials contain a rich lode of information about the kinds of rocks that lie below the surface, how porous and permeable they are, and even what types of fluids they contain. Part of the Mission of New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources is to serve as a repository for these kinds of data. Data in our collections have been acquired from wells drilled throughout the state over the last 90 years. We currently have more than 15 million pieces of unique subsurface data in our collections, much of it stored in seven steel storage buildings on campus. Core - 20,000+ boxes (oil & gas and mining) from 4,000+ wells Cuttings - 51,0000+ boxes from 16,600+ wells Geophysical Logs (some with mudlogs)- 50,000+ wells Porosity and Permeability Analyses Petroleum Source Rock Analyses Well records - 100,000+ wells Drillers logs - 17,000+ wells Sample descriptions and sample logs - 4,300+ wells Historic petroleum exploration maps with well locations in 26 counties Pool maps with locations of producing oil and gas pools by stratigraphic unit Historic production data - Pre-20021Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- In New Mexico, under the pressures of climate change and population growth, demand for water is increasing, and there is mounting evidence that the available water supply may actually be decreasing. While water use conservation efforts are necessary, there is great interest in finding ways to increase the available water supply. Tree thinning in mountain regions is an effective way to decrease fire danger in areas where forests are overgrown. Potentially, tree thinning can also be used as a tool to increase water supply. This report describes a watershed study in the southern Sacramento Mountains, which focused on the effects of tree thinning on the hydrologic system, specifically on the potential to increase groundwater and surface water availability in the Sacramento Mountains.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- A s part of development of a regional source water protection plan, in 2015–2016, the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources performed a technical review of existing hydrogeology studies in Curry and Roosevelt counties in east-central New Mexico. Additionally, groundwater quality was tested in several wells, and groundwater levels were examined to provide up-to-date information on the availability of groundwater in the region. This report describes the results of the hydrogeologic review and findings from the groundwater study.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- The southern Taos Valley, located just southwest of the Town of Taos, has experienced high growth in the last few decades. The increasing demand for domestic water is dependent on the long-term availability of groundwater. Much of the study area is unincorporated, and therefore the county government is responsible for approving or disapproving residential developments. Recently, a variety of residents (homeowners, farmers, developers, county officials, scientists, and others) have expressed concerns about the vulnerability of the groundwater aquifers in the region. The study area contains over 20 acequias and irrigation ditches, the Taos Country Club (18-hole golf course), the Taos Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant, Town of Taos production wells, several deep exploration wells, the Ponce de Leon geothermal area, and a vast amount of private land that could potentially be subdivided in the future. The geology and hydrogeology of the study area are complex; the aquifers and the quality of water range from excellent to poor, and the depth to water in wells ranges from shallow to deep and flowing artesian. The results of this study will demonstrate the complex hydrogeologic conditions that create such remarkable groundwater variations.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- Groundwater and surface water sampling is often done under the auspices of the Aquifer Mapping Program and other related hydrogeologic studies at the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources. We use the water samples from wells, springs, and surface water bodies to help interpret the flow path of groundwater, identify the recharge areas, and evaluate groundwater residence time. Since our hydrogeologic studies officially began in 2007, we have developed and implemented our procedures for water sample collection. Water may be sampled for a number of analyses including major ion chemistry, trace metal chemistry, stable isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen, and several naturally occurring environmental tracers, which provide estimates of groundwater age. This document serves as a reference to describe the procedures we use for water sample collection and for sample analyses. We try to adhere to these procedures to the extent that it is possible.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- Chemistry and isotopic data from ground water and surface water in the southern Española Basin and Santa Fe embayment were compiled from existing sources, and supplemented with data obtained from new sampling events in 2005. Existing records from the City and County of Santa Fe, the New Mexico Office of the State Engineer (NMOSE), the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Metropolitan Water Board, and libraries of private consultants provide baseline chemistry data spanning 50 years and over 300 locations. In 2005, ground water from 50 new sample locations was analyzed for major and minor ion and trace element chemistry (38 elements), oxygen-18 and deuterium, and field measurements of specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, pH and temperature. The data are derived from wells, streams and springs, including municipal, commercial, and private domestic wells, and the NMOSE multi-level piezometers. The large size and mixed origin of the data set present data quality challenges. Quality control filters provide a high degree of confidence in the precision of the data, but temporal inconsistencies are inherent in the data set.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- This dataset includes GeoJSON files which can be downloaded and dropped directly into open source GIS software such as QGIS. New Mexico relies heavily on groundwater, as it accounts for over 45% of total water use (withdrawals) in the state. Future demand for groundwater will likely increase as surface water supplies decrease due to effects of climate change. Groundwater levels in aquifers throughout the state have been declining, primarily due to groundwater being extracted by pumping and evapotranspiration (the combination of evaporation and vegetation transpiration) at higher rates than it is replenished by groundwater recharge, and the Estancia Basin is no exception. It is largely a rural area with a decades-long tradition of farming and ranching, despite a paucity of surface water. The Estancia Basin and its residents are almost fully dependent on groundwater for water resource needs, with surface water use accounting for only ~0.1% of water withdrawals.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- Communities in the Tularosa Basin, including Tularosa and Alamogordo, face serious challenges related to water resources, both in terms of water quantity and quality. An arid climate, limited surface water as streams or rivers, variable groundwater quality, and projected population increases make water resource management in the Tularosa Basin challenging. Groundwater accounts for approximately 70% of all water use in the area, including irrigation, domestic use, and public supply. It has been estimated that less than four percent of groundwater in the Tularosa Basin is fresh with total dissolved solids (TDS) of less than 1,000 milligrams per liter (mg/L). Most public supply wells pump relatively fresh water from very localized zones located on the eastern margin of the basin at the base of the Sacramento Mountains. Plans to pump and desalinate brackish water (1,000–10,000 mg/L TDS) for public water supply for Alamogordo are in development. There are concerns about the effect of pumping large quantities of brackish water on the water quality for multiple other users. To evaluate the potential impacts of pumping brackish water on existing water resources, it is necessary to know the spatial distribution of groundwater salinity. This report describes recent efforts by the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources (NMBGMR) to assess the spatial distribution of groundwater salinity in the Tularosa Basin. The objectives of this study were to: Compile and review existing water chemistry data in the area to assess the spatial distribution of groundwater salinity Collect up to 30 water quality samples to address spatial and temporal data gaps Using all data, provide an assessment of fresh and brackish water resources Suggest future research to improve understanding of groundwater salinity in the Tularosa Basin1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- Currently, users can either view this data directly in a web browser, though this can be confusing to users who do not understand the SensorThings API (https://newmexicowaterdata.org/faq/#sensorthingsapi) structure. Users who have some programming knowledge can also query this data with the Python programming language following this tutorial (https://developer.newmexicowaterdata.org/help). Development is currently underway for applications that more easily allow general users to query and visualize this data.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- "This report presents the results of a hydrogeologic investigation along the western Sacramento Mountains and the northeastern region of the Tularosa Basin. The principal objective of this study is to develop a better understanding of the water chemistry, physical hydrology and geologic framework that controls the occurrence and movement of groundwater in the region. Numerous small, rural population centers, including Carrizozo, Nogal, Oscuro, Three Rivers, Tularosa, and La Luz, are located in the study area. These communities rely on high elevation watersheds in the Sacramento Mountains that serve as sources of recharge to local aquifers. These high elevation watersheds also feed the stream systems that drain into the Tularosa Basin. In recent years, water managers and users across the region have observed changes in precipitation patterns, climate variability, and declines in water levels and spring flow. In response to these stresses on the hydrologic system related to population growth, economic development, and water use changes, water resource managers are interested in understanding their groundwater system better, allowing them to make informed decisions regarding land and water resource management. Hydrologic study of the Tularosa Basin dates back to the early 1900s based on work by Meinzer and Hare (1915). This initial research, as well as more recent studies conducted in the past 50 years, has emphasized the role that precipitation, which falls on the adjacent Sacramento Mountains, plays on recharge entering the Tularosa Basin. Although the present study focuses primarily on the northeastern region of the Tularosa Basin, it adds to the understanding of the regional hydrogeology and provides evidence of the importance of high mountain precipitation in recharging adjacent regional aquifers. The results of this work includes identification of recharge areas, quantification of recharge to groundwater, determination of groundwater flow directions and flow rates, and it furthers the understanding of groundwater/ surface water interactions in this area." This contains hydrogeologic data from the above study.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- Access to adequate supplies of fresh water is becoming an increasingly critical issue in many parts of the world. In arid regions of the southwestern United States, diminishing water supplies and extended periods of drought have generated an interest in non-traditional water resources, and the development of new technologies such as desalination of brackish water to exploit those resources. New Mexico has limited supplies of fresh water, but over the last century there have been claims that the state has very large reserves of brackish groundwater (e.g., Hood and Kister, 1962; McLean, 1970). However, our knowledge of the quality and volume of these brackish water resources varies significantly across the state. Some aquifers and groundwater basins in more densely populated areas have been very thoroughly investigated by multiple individuals and agencies over time periods of years or decades. Despite this foundation of pre-existing research, our knowledge of the distribution of brackish groundwater in many aquifers in New Mexico is often poorly constrained.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- Water levels in the karstic San Andres limestone aquifer of the Roswell Artesian Basin, New Mexico, display significant variations on a variety of time scales. Large seasonal fluctuations in hydraulic head are directly related to the irrigation cycle in the Artesian Basin, lower in summer months and higher in winter when less irrigation occurs. Longer-term variations are the result of both human and climatic factors. Since the inception of irrigated farming more than a century ago, over appropriation of water resources has caused water levels in the artesian aquifer to fall by as much as 230 ft (70 m). The general decline in hydraulic head began to reverse in the mid-1980s due to a variety of conservation measures, combined with a period of elevated rainfall toward the end of the twentieth century.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- This report presents the results a hydrologic investigation at White Sands National Monument (WHSA) in southern New Mexico. The principle objective of this study is to develop a conceptual model of the shallow groundwater system within the gypsum dune field with the intent to increase our understanding of how it interacts with the larger, regional hydrologic system. The monument, which encompasses approximately 115 square miles, includes a portion of the largest gypsum dune field in the world.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- NOTE: This Bulletin supersedes Open File Report 591 (OFR-591). East-central New Mexico is dependent on groundwater from the High Plains aquifer for agricultural, municipal, industrial, and domestic uses. Ongoing declines of water levels in the High Plains aquifer are well-known and have led residents and decision-makers to speculate on the usable life of the aquifer. This Bulletin presents aquifer lifetime projections for eastcentral New Mexico based on projecting historical water-level trends into the future using over 1,500 wells. Projections for the useful lifetime of the aquifer for agricultural and municipal/domestic-use scenarios are described. Several quantitative measures of the reliability of the results are presented. The results are stark, with projected usable lifetimes in many areas only ten years or less. Much of the region already has insufficient saturated thickness for the operation of large-capacity irrigation wells.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- The Healy Collaborative Groundwater Monitoring Network is a statewide well measurement network, with wells measured in a variety of ways (i.e. pressure, acoustic, and manual measurements), as well as compiling data from various regional networks. This is an API link to these well locations and associated data.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- "A regional map of the water table in the northeastern Tularosa Basin region has been prepared based on elevations of springs and well water levels. Water levels were measured by the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources from 2009-2011. This map extends up to the western escarpment of the Sacramento Mountains, and is an extension of the water table map of the southern Sacramentos prepared by Land et a l. (2012). In general, within the area indicated on the map, most ground water flows from east to west following topography. Near the crests of the highest mountains in the region, from the Sierra Blanca mountains to the southern Sacramentos, a ground water divide exists wherein some ground water flows west into the Tularosa Basin region, while the rest flows eastward toward the Pecos Slope. Water flowing west into the Tularosa Basin eventually flows southward. The aquifer system in the southern Sacramento Mountains is developed primarily within the Yeso Formmation, and the vast majority of water supply wells produce from fractured carbonates, siltstones and mud stones within that rock unit (Land et al., 2012). By contrast, aquifers in the northeastern Tularosa Basin region occur within several different geologic formations with highly variable hydrologic properties. The heterogeneous aquifer system in this area results in part from the fact that the mapped area covers several distinctly different physiographic provinces with differing underlying lithologies. The primary physiographic provinces, which were identified by Mamer et a l. (2014), include the Tularosa Basin, the Carrizozo hilly plain, the northern high mountains (i.e. Sierra Blanca and Nogal Peaks), and the southern high mountains (southern Sacramento Mountains). A significant number of wells are screened in two or more aquifers. The water table represented on this map thus reflects water levels in multiple water-bearing zones, and is intended to show regional ground water patterns and flow paths. Local conditions may deviate from the larger scale, general trends shown on this regional map." This contains water level data from Open-File Report 561: Regional water table map of the northeastern Tularosa Basin region, Otero and Lincoln counties, New Mexico1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- From October 2000 through June 2002, the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources conducted geologic mapping on the Pueblo of Picuris as part of a three phase hydrogeologic project for the Pueblo. This work produced a geologic map of the Picuris reservation, and results were summarized in a Phase 1 Final Technical Report dated June 2002. From June 2003 through December 2004, the Bureau continued work on the hydrologic and water quality aspects of the project, which comprised phases 2 and 3 of the study. These phases of work included a well and spring inventory, water level measurements, assessment of the quality of groundwater and surface water, evaluations of the subsurface hydrogeology of aquifers and the interaction between groundwater, surface water and potential sources of contamination in the vicinity of the confluence of the Rio Pueblo de Picuris, Rio Santa Barbara, Rio Chiquito, and Chamizal Creek. This report summarizes the data collected and findings of these final two phases of the hydrogeologic assessment of groundwater and surface water resources on the Pueblo of Picuris.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- Beginning in 2019, the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources (NMBGMR) and the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (NMT) initiated research to assess the water resources of the Salt Basin region of southern New Mexico and westernmost Texas. This project was funded by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and was conducted in coordination with two graduate students at NMT, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission (NMISC), and consultants with the NMISC. The current study was initiated as a result of NMISC considering potential groundwater export from the New Mexico portion of the basin to other regions of New Mexico, particularly during times of reduced surface water availability. The purpose of this project was to assess the water resources and evaluate the sustainability of pumping 100,000 acre-ft/yr in the Salt Basin region. In particular, the project’s scope addressed the Salt Basin regional water availability by (1) identifying and attempting to address data gaps where there is currently little or no information about the groundwater system; (2) refining estimates of the regional water budget, including groundwater recharge, storage, evapotranspiration, and pumping; (3) building and updating the hydrogeologic framework and numerical hydrologic model; and (4) running specific pumping scenarios in the revised model. These efforts focus attention on the region’s capacity to sustain current groundwater withdrawals in the Salt Basin and implications for future development in New Mexico. Additional techniques applied in this study included electromagnetic geophysical measurements to better characterize the subsurface of the Salt Basin and to evaluate use of these methods in identifying saline or brackish aquifers.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- An interactive map of data maintained by the NM Bureau of Geology. Displays geographic, geologic, water, energy, mineral, and recreational resources.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- This interactive map displays wells that are actively monitored with one or more timeseries groundwater level datasets.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- Several natural and anthropogenic tracers have been used to evaluate groundwater residence time within a karstic limestone aquifer in southeastern New Mexico, USA. Natural groundwater discharge occurs in the lower Pecos Valley from a region of karst springs, wetlands and sinkhole lakes at Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge,on the northeast margin of the Roswell Artesian Basin. The springs and sinkholes are formed in gypsum bedrock that serves as a leaky confining unit for an artesian aquifer in the underlying San Andres limestone. Because wetlands on the Refuge provide habitat for threatened and endangered species, there is concern about the potential for contamination by anthropogenic activity in the aquifer recharge area. Estimates of the time required for groundwater to travel through the artesian aquifer vary widely because of uncertainties regarding karst conduit flow. A better understanding of groundwater residence time is required to make informed decisions about management of water resources and wildlife habitat at Bitter Lake. Results indicate that the artesian aquifer contains a significant component of water recharged within the last 10 to 50 years, combined with pre-modern groundwater originating from deeper underlying aquifers, some of which may be indirectly sourced from the high Sacramento Mountains to the west.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- Groundwater elevation data from wells and springs in the southern Sacramento Mountains were compiled from depth-to-water measurements taken between 2005 and 2009 by the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources (NMBGMR) at New Mexico Tech and from the elevations of springs and the gaining reaches of streams. In locations where these data were not available, static water levels were used from selected, recent (year 1995 or newer) New Mexico Office of the State Engineer’s (NMOSE) well records. The groundwater elevation contours were drawn by hand based on the author’s interpretation of water level data. The groundwater elevation contours were used to further interpret or generate groundwater flow direction and the boundaries of groundwater flow units1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- Union County, the northeasternmost county in New Mexico, is rural with an economy based on ranching and agriculture. Surface water resources are limited, thus development of groundwater for stock watering and irrigation is important and extensive. Groundwater studies by the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources (NMBGMR) in Union County have been conducted in concert with the Northeast Soil and Water Conservation District (NESWCD) and were driven by concerns over recent large groundwater appropriations, the reliability of the groundwater supply for the town of Clayton, and declining water levels that have been observed in many wells over the past few years. The New Mexico Office of the State Engineer (NMOSE) declared the Clayton Underground Water Basin in 2005, ending unrestricted appropriation and development of groundwater in northeast New Mexico. Recently, the NMOSE has started development of a groundwater flow model of the Clayton Basin for administration of water rights. Important input data for a groundwater flow model include accurate delineation of the groundwater surface and an understanding of water level changes over time.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- Water-level measurements in the Mimbres Basin made in early 2020 were combined with data extending back to 1980 to characterize water level trends in the region. The geostatistical method of spatiotemporal kriging was used to create water-level maps every five years from 1980 until 2020. Changes in water-levels over these five-year intervals were calculated. Compared to traditional spatial kriging, the spatiotemporal approach offers improved precision, more realistic maps of water levels and water-level changes, fewer artifacts due to changing well networks over time, and overall less uncertainty in predictions.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- La Cienega’s springs and wetlands are important hydrologic, ecologic and cultural resources, and provide many beneficial water-related functions. The wetlands discharge groundwater from regional and local aquifers that provide the sole water source for the southern Santa Fe region. We investigate the wetland system by examining the hydrologic interactions manifested in the wetland water balance.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
- Between August 2006 and April 2007, the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources conducted a spring inventory and preliminary geochemical sampling as a first step in evaluating the hydrogeologic connections between the ground water and the Rio Grande in Taos County. The objective and principal task was to locate, inventory, describe, and selectively sample the springs of the Rio Grande gorge. The springs in the Rio Grande gorge appear to naturally fall into zones or clusters that coincide with either a hydrologically important geologic feature, such as a fault or a volcano, or one of the perennial tributaries of the Rio Grande. Spring data are evaluated in the context of the regional geologic and hydrologic framework. Basic data are presented for springs surveyed in the following locations: • the Sunshine Valley in the Ute Mountain reach, • the Cerro Chiflo area, above the Cerro gaging station, • the west side of the gorge near Bear Crossing, • the Arroyo Hondo area, • Taos Junction Bridge, • Pilar, and • The Racecourse reach of the Rio Grande, between the BLM quartzite site and the county line. Water samples were collected from 31 springs and analyzed for general chemistry, trace metals, stable isotopes, and for several relative age-dating analyses, including tritium, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), and carbon-14. The report contains maps of the locations of inventoried springs, data tables that characterize the springs, the results of geochemical sampling and laboratory analysis of spring water chemistry and a variety of tracers, and a brief summary of the location and field parameters of each major cluster of springs.1Licence not specifiedover 2 years ago
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