Preliminary assessment of the ground-water resources of the alluvial aquifer, White River valley, Rio Blanco County, Colorado

A preliminary study of the alluvial aquifer in the White River Valley was conducted to assess aquifer extent and the occurrence , availability, and chemical quality of water in the aquifer. The aquifer in the study area underlies 35 square miles. Aquifer width ranges from 0.1 to 1.5 miles and averages 0.5 miles. Saturated thickness ranges from zero to more than 140 feet and averages 22 feet. The aquifer is unconfined except west of the Grand Hogback, where artesian conditions were observed at several locations. Well yields usually are less than 25 gallons per minute. At the Meeker municipal well field in Agency Park, wells reportedly could yield more than 1,000 gallons per minute each. Based on nine aquifer tests, transmissivity ranges from 860 to 93,000 feet squared per day, and hydraulic conductivity ranges from 70 to 1,550 feet per day. The estimated total volume of water in storage in the aquifer in the study area is 103,000 acre-feet. Groundwater type in the eastern part of the study area is calcium bicarbonate; to the west, water type is sodium sulfate. Water in the aquifer is classified as very hard throughout the study area. Specific conductance generally increases from east to west. (USGS)