The Albuquerque Basin, located in central New Mexico, is about
100 miles long and 25 to 40 miles wide. The basin is defined
as the extent of Cenozoic deposits that encompass the structural
Rio Grande Rift within the basin. Drinking-water supplies
throughout the Albuquerque Basin are obtained solely from ground-
water resources. The population of the basin grew from 419,000 in
1980 to 563,600 in 1990, a 34-percent increase, and resulted in
increases in water demand and ground-water pumpage. From April
1982 through September 1983, a network of wells was established
to monitor changes in ground-water levels throughout the Albuquerque
Basin. Water-level data are currently (1998) collected at 88
wells and piezometers. This report includes water-level data from
most of these sites for the period of record through 1998. Data
collection at sites 6, 21, 27-29, 31, 35, 56-60, 77, 87, and 88 was
interrupted due to construction or limited access, and does not
extend through the reporting period. Data are currently
collected annually at sites 11 and 56-60; semiannually at sites
1-10, 78, and 85; quarterly at sites 12-55, 67-77, 79, 80, 82-84,
87, and 88; and monthly at sites 61-63, 81, and 86. Water levels
are recorded hourly at sites 64-66.
