Potentiometric Surfaces and Groundwater-Level Changes

In the past, groundwater pumped from the Santa Fe Group aquifer system was the principal source of water for the Albuquerque metropolitan area of central New Mexico. The large quantity of groundwater pumping relative to recharge resulted in substantial drawdown in the aquifer system. In 2008 the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority began diverting water from the San Juan-Chama Drinking Water Project to help meet municipal demand and began decreasing groundwater withdrawals. As a result of decreasing groundwater withdrawals, groundwater levels have risen. The USGS periodically compiles groundwater-level data and creates potentiometric and water-level change maps to evaluate water-level status and changes in the Albuquerque area.