Unified Interior Regions
Region 7: Upper Colorado Basin
Map of Region 7 Upper Colorado River Basin
Map Showing USGS/DOI Unified Region 7 and parts of adjoining Regions
Key USGS Region 7 Upper Colorado Basin Contacts
Regional Director (Acting)-Peter Griffiths
Associate Regional Director, Operations-Peter Griffiths
USGS Region 7 Upper Colorado Basin Offices and Science Centers
Regions L2 Landing Page Tabs
USGS Science Centers in Region 7-Upper Colorado Basin conduct a large number of cooperative and collaborative projects with other agencies and partners. A sampling of those projects are shown below on this web page.
Middle Rio Grande Basin Study
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Middle Rio Grande Basin Study was a 6-year effort (1995-2001) by the USGS and other agencies to improve the understanding of the hydrology, geology, and land-surface characteristics of the Middle Rio Grande Basin in order to provide the scientific information needed for water-resources management. The Santa Fe Group aquifer system is the main source of...
Water, Energy, and Biogeochemical Budgets (WEBB): Loch Vale Watershed
Loch Vale is an alpine/subalpine watershed in Rocky Mountain National Park where the U.S. Geological Survey has been conducting research since the 1980s. Our research has focused on the effects of climate change and atmospheric pollutants on water, soil, vegetation, and aquatic life. The alpine/subalpine ecosystem in Loch Vale is sensitive to changes in climate and air pollution. Our long-term...
South Platte Decision Support System (SPDSS) Well Installation and Aquifer Testing in Shallow Alluvial and Bedrock Aquifers, Adams County, Colorado
The South Platte Decision Support System (SPDSS) is a data base system being developed by the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) to provide water users, managers, and State of Colorado agencies access to important information related to water management issues affecting the South Platte River system.
Estimating Evaporative Losses Incurred by Conveyance of City of Albuquerque San Juan-Chama Water: Jemez to Albuquerque
The City of Albuquerque is in the process of implementing the Drinking Water Project, which is part of the Albuquerque Water Resources Management Strategy. As part of this strategy, the City will begin accepting delivery of imported San Juan-Chama water to supplement present municipal water supplies. The City of Albuquerque’s annual allotment of imported San Juan-Chama water is 48,200 acre-...
Comparison of the power consumption coefficient (PCC) method to totalizing flow meter (TFM) for estimating ground-water pumpage in the Arkansas River Valley, Colorado
In the mid-1990s, the Colorado Division of Water Resources (CDWR) adopted rules governing measurement of tributary groundwater pumpage for the Arkansas River Basin. The rules allowed groundwater pumpage to be determined using one of two approaches—power conversion coefficient (PCC) or totalizing flowmeters (TFM). In addition, the rules allowed a PCC to be applied to the electrical power usage...
Hydrogeology and water quality of the shallow unconsolidated-rock aquifers in the Upper Arkansas River Basin from Buena Vista to Salida, Colorado
Population growth near Buena Vista and Salida in Chaffee County has caused concern for the long-term availability and quality of groundwater . Groundwater withdrawals from deep wells that are completed in the basin-fill deposits and designed to supply multiple-dwelling developments could cause drawdowns in water levels of the overlying aquifers. Continued development of groundwater supplies in...
Development of a Plan of Study on the Hydrogeology and Groundwater Resources of the Salt Basin in New Mexico
The New Mexico part of the Salt Basin covers about 2,400 square miles of the south central part of the State. The principal aquifers in the basin are included in the San Andres Limestone, the Yeso Formation and the Abo Formation all of Permian age. Groundwater recharge to the basin is about 35,078 acre-feet per year with about half of the recharge coming from the watershed feeding the...
Stochastic Modeling of Effects that the Sulphur Gulch Reservoir May Have on Colorado River Water Quality near Grand Junction, Colorado
Sulphur Gulch, a new reservoir proposed to be located about 25 miles east of Grand Junction, Colorado, on a tributary to the Colorado River that drains the Sulphur Gulch watershed between De Beque and Cameo, Colorado. The primary use of the Sulphur Gulch Reservoir would be to provide the Colorado River with up to 5,412.5 acre-feet of late-season water in support of the Endangered Fish Recovery...
Sources of Metal Loading to the Lake Fork from Turquoise Lake to the confluence with the Arkansas River
The Lake Fork emerges from the outlet of Turquoise Lake at the Sugarloaf dam and flows approximately 5 miles before joining the upper Arkansas River. The first reach of the Lake Fork downstream from the dam is affected by drainage from abandoned mines in the Sugarloaf mining district. Whereas remediation of some of the mine sites has been initiated, Federal Land holders are interested in...
Arkansas River Water-Quality Data
The Arkansas River Basin drains an area of 24,904 square miles of southeastern Colorado. Like other basins on the Front Range, the Arkansas Basin has experienced growth and is expected to have significant increases in growth in the future. Demands on the limited water resources also will increase as changes in water storage, water releases, and/or transfer of waters within or outside of the...
Water-Quality Assessment of Wolford Mountain Reservoir on Muddy Creek near Kremmling, Colorado
In March 1985 the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Colorado River Water Conservation District (CRWCD), began a monitoring program on Muddy Creek in anticipation of the construction of a water storage project. A site upstream of the proposed reservoir (Muddy Creek above Antelope Creek, 09041090), and a downstream site (Muddy Creek at Kremmling, 09041500) were chosen to...
Blue River Water-Quality Data
The Blue River drains approximately 680 square miles west of the Continental Divide in central Colorado before flowing northward into the Colorado River near Kremmling, Colorado. The Blue River watershed (BRW) is almost entirely located in Summit County and includes the towns of Breckenridge, Dillon, Frisco, Montezuma, and Silverthorne. Dillon Reservoir and Green Mountain Reservoir are major...
USGS Science Centers in Region 7-Upper Colorado Basin produce hundreds of USGS-series publications, journal papers, and books each year that are subject to rigorous review by USGS specialists. The publications shown below on this page are related to study areas and staff members of USGS Science Centers in Region 7 compiled from the USGS Publications Warehouse.
Preface: Marine gas hydrate reservoir systems along the eastern continental margin of India: Results of the National Gas Hydrate Program Expedition 02
The 2015 India National Gas Hydrate Program (NGHP) Expedition 02 was conducted to obtain new information on the occurrence of gas hydrate systems and to advance the understanding of geologic controls on the formation of gas hydrate accumulations in the offshore of India. The ultimate goal of the NGHP effort is to assess the energy resource...
Collett, Timothy S.; Pushpendra Kumar; Ray Boswell; Waite, William Formation pressure and fluid flow measurements in marine gas hydrate reservoirs, NGHP-02 expedition, offshore India
Open Hole Modular Dynamic Testing (MDT) measurements were conducted in a gas hydrate-bearing sand-rich reservoir offshore India during the National Gas Hydrate Program 02 (NGHP-02) Expedition. The primary goal of this test was to obtain effective reservoir petrophysical properties in the presence of gas hydrates. The test plan included a series of...
Kumar, Pushpendra; Collett, Timothy S.; Yadav, U.S.; Singh, Juli India National Gas Hydrate Program Expedition-02: Operational and technical summary
The India National Gas Hydrate Program is being steered by the government of India's Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) with participation of Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH), Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC), and the National Oil Companies and Research Institutes of India. The India National Gas Hydrate Program...
Pushpendra Kumar; Collett, Timothy S.; K. M. Shukla; U. S. Yadav; M. V. Lall; Krishna Vishwanath India National Gas Hydrate Program Expedition 02 Summary of Scientific Results: Gas hydrate systems along the eastern continental margin of India
The primary objectives of the India National Gas Hydrate Program Expedition 02 (NGHP-02) were to obtain new data on the occurrence of gas hydrate systems and to advance the understanding of the controls on the formation of gas hydrate accumulations in the offshore of India. In accordance with the ultimate overall goal of the NGHP effort to assess...
Collett, Timothy S.; Ray Boswell; Waite, William F.; Pushpendra Kumar; Sandip Kumar Roy; Krishan Chopra; Sunil Kumar Singh; Yasuhiro Yamada; Tenma, Norio; Pohlman, John; Zyrianova, Margarita National Gas Hydrate Program expedition 02: Identification of gas hydrate prospects in the Krishna-Godavari Basin, offshore India
After completing the first expedition of India's National Gas Hydrate Program (NGHP-01) in 2006, it was concluded that for the next expedition (National Gas Hydrate Program 02; NGHP-02), a new drill site review effort should focus on identifying potential deep-water offshore gas hydrate accumulations in sand dominated depositional environments....
K.M. Shukla; U.S. Yadav; Pushpendra Kumar; Collett, Timothy; Boswell, R.; Frye, M.; M. Riedel; I. Kaurf; K. Vishwanathf Numerical simulations of depressurization-induced gas production from an interbedded turbidite gas hydrate-bearing sedimentary section in the offshore India: Site NGHP-02-16 (Area-B)
The recent National Gas Hydrate Program Expedition 02 (NGHP-02) identified the existence of gas hydrate-bearing sand reservoirs at a number of sites in the offshore of India including Site NGHP-02-16 in Area-B of the Krishna-Godavari Basin. The architecture of that gas hydrate accumulation is characterized by thin, gas hydrate-bearing, high...
Myshakin, Evgeniy M.; Seol, Yongkoo; Lin, Jeen-Shang; Uchida, Shun; Collett, Timothy; Boswell, Ray India National Gas Hydrate Program Expedition 02 summary of scientific results: Numerical simulation of reservoir response to depressurization
The India National Gas Hydrate Program Expedition 02 (NGHP-02) discovered gas hydrate at high saturation in sand reservoirs at several sites in the deepwater Bay of Bengal. To assess the potential response of those deposits to scientific depressurization experiments, comprehensive geologic models were constructed to enable numerical simulation...
Boswell, Ray; Myshakin, Evgeniy; Moridis, George; Konno, Yoshihiro; Collett, Timothy S.; Matthew Reagan; Ajayi, Taiwo; Seol, Yongkoo Discrete Zr and REE mineralization of the Baerzhe rare-metal deposit, China
Although REE (lanthanides + Y) mineralization in alkaline silicate systems is commonly accompanied with Zr mineralization worldwide, our understanding of the relationship between Zr and REE mineralization is still incomplete (e.g. Škoda and Novák, 2007; Linnen et al., 2014; Petrella et al., 2014; Möller and Williams-Jones, 2016; Wu et al., 2018)....
Qiu, Kunfeng; Yu, Haocheng; Wu, Mingqian; Geng, Jianzhen; Ge, Xiangkun; Gou, Zongyang; Taylor, Ryan
Assessment of continuous oil and gas resources in the niobrara interval of the Cody Shale, Bighorn Basin Province, Wyoming and Montana, 2019
Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated means of 534 million barrels of oil and 939 billion cubic feet of gas in the Niobrara interval of the Cody Shale in the Bighorn Basin Province, Wyoming and Montana.
Finn, Thomas M.; Schenk, Christopher J.; Mercier, Tracey J.; Tennyson, Marilyn E.; Le, Phuong A.; Brownfield, Michael E.; Marra, Kristen R.; Leathers-Miller, Heidi M.; Drake, Ronald M.; Woodall, Cheryl A.; Pitman, Janet K.; Ellis, Geoffrey S.; Kinney, Scott A.
Anderson Ranch wetlands hydrologic characterization in Taos County, New Mexico
The Anderson Ranch property (study area), located in Taos County, north-central New Mexico, was transferred from Chevron Mining, Inc. (CMI) to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) as part of a Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration (NRDAR) court-ordered settlement. The study area supports freshwater emergent wetlands and freshwater...
Galanter, Amy E. ; Shephard, Zachary M.; Pamela Herrera-Olivas Updates to USGS national seismic hazard model (NSHM) and design ground motion maps for 2020 NEHRP recommended provisions
This presentation summarizes the proposed updates to earthquake design ground motions for the 2020 edition of the NEHRP Recommended Seismic Provisions, expected to be incorporated into the ASCE 7-22 Standard. The implications of these updates on the values of design ground motions for example locations in both conterminous and nonconterminous U.S...
Rezaeian, Sanaz; Luco, Nicolas Impacts to wildlife of wind energy siting and operation in the United States
Electricity from wind energy is a major contributor to the strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel use and thus reduce the negative impacts of climate change. Wind energy, like all power sources, can have adverse impacts on wildlife. After nearly 25 years of focused research, these impacts are much better understood, although...
Taber Allison; Diffendorfer, James E.; Erin Baerwald; Julie Beston; David Drake; Amanda Hale; Cris Hein; Huso, Manuela M.; Scott Loss; Lovich, Jeffrey E.; Dale Strickland; Kate Williams; Virginia WinderPhotos and videos described and linked on this webpage come from a wide variety of USGS science activities and presentations performed by USGS Science Center staff members in the Region 7-Upper Colorado Basin.
Debris covering roadway leading to the Catwalk trail head
Debris covering roadway leading to the Catwalk trail head in Whitewater Canyon, Gila National Forest, Glenwood, NM
Large debris flow, tributary to Whitewater Canyon
Large debris flow, tributary to Whitewater Canyon, Gila National Forest, Glenwood, NM
Measuring Streamflow on Big Thompson River
Ben Glass of the USGS Colorado Water Science Center collects streamflow data from a USGS rapid deployment streamgage on the Big Thompson River in Loveland, Colo. The river is one of many that flooded during a significant September 2013 rain event along Colorado's Front Range, damaging or destroying several USGS streamgages.
Precipitation data collected in the 7 days before September 18, 2013
Precipitation data collected in the 7 days before September 18, 2013
Precipitation data collected in the 30 days before September 18, 2013
Precipitation data collected in the 30 days before September 18, 2013
USGS Field Crew On-Site During the Sept 2013 Colorado Flood
Bob Brandle of the USGS Colorado Water Science Center records streamflow and water level measurements for the flooded St. Vrain River near Longmont, Colo. The river is one of many that flooded during a significant September 2013 rain event along Colorado's Front Range, damaging or destroying several USGS streamgages.
USGS Field Crew On-Site During the Sept 2013 Colorado Flood
Bob Brandle and Cory Stevens of the USGS Colorado Water Science Center record streamflow and water level measurements for the flooded St. Vrain River near Longmont, Colo. The river is one of many that flooded during a significant September 2013 rain event along Colorado's Front Range, damaging or destroying several USGS streamgages.
Bear River, Utah
Looking northeast along the Bear River Duck Club Canal toward the Wellsville Mountains.
A new report illustrates how groundwater pumping can affect the amount of water available in streams within the Malad-Lower Bear River Area in Utah. The product was developed by the USGS, in cooperation with the Utah
...
Wastewater Disposal Facility in Colorado
Oilfield waste arrives by tanker truck at a wastewater disposal facility near Platteville, Colo. After removal of solids and oil, the wastewater is injected into a deep well for permanent storage underground. This disposal process has the potential to trigger earthquakes, but very few wastewater disposal wells produce earthquakes. No earthquakes are associated with
...
Wastewater Disposal Facility in Colorado
Oilfield waste arrives by tanker truck at a wastewater disposal facility near Platteville, Colo. After removal of solids and oil, the wastewater is injected into a deep well for permanent storage underground. This disposal process has the potential to trigger earthquakes, but very few wastewater disposal wells produce earthquakes. No earthquakes are associated with
...
USGS scientist collecting a water sample from Boulder Creek, Colorado.
A USGS scientist collecting a water-quality sample from Boulder Creek, Colorado. USGS scientists have shown that many chemicals discharged from municipal wastewater treatment facilities persist for miles downstream at levels known, or suspected, to cause adverse
...This page includes links to Social Media accounts (top of page), Science Centers (middle of page), and Regional Office staff members (bottom of page) of the USGS Region 7--Upper Colorado Basin.
Contacts
Locations
Region 7 - Upper Colorado Basin
rgonzales-schreiner@usgs.gov
Phone: 703-648-7200
NSF Ice Core Facility
Phone: 303-202-4830
New Mexico Water Science Center
Phone: (505) 830-7900
Fax: (505) 830-7998
Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center
Phone: 303-236-5345
Utah Water Science Center
angeroth@usgs.gov
Phone: (801) 908-5000
Fax: (801) 908-5001
Colorado Water Science Center - Main Office
gs-w-codist_webmaster@usgs.gov
Phone: 303-236-6900
Fax: 303-236-4912
Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center - Cheyenne Office
Phone: (307) 778-2931
Fax: (307) 778-2764
National Geospatial Technical Operations Center - Denver, CO
Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center
Phone: 303-236-1800
Fax: 303-236-3200
Geologic Hazards Science Center
Phone: 303-273-8500
North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center
Fort Collins Science Center
Phone: 970-226-9100
Fax: 970-226-9230
Colorado Water Science Center - Southeast Colorado Office: Pueblo, CO
gs-w-codist_webmaster@usgs.gov
Phone: 719-562-2840
Fax: 719-544-2463
Colorado Water Science Center - Western Colorado Office: Grand Junction
gs-w-codist_webmaster@usgs.gov
Phone: 970-628-7150
Fax: 970-245-1026
National Earthquake Information Center
Phone: 303-273-8500
Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO)
yvowebteam@usgs.gov
Phone: 360-993-8906
Spectroscopy Lab
Molecular Ecology Lab (MEL)
Phone: 970-226-9100
Fax: 970-226-9230
Denver Microbeam Laboratory
Albuquerque Seismological Laboratory
Moab Field Office
wilkowsk@usgs.gov
Phone: 435-259-4430
Fax: 435-259-5420
Salt Lake Field Office
sjgerner@usgs.gov
Phone: 801-908-5000
Fax: 801-908-5001
Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center - Casper Office
Phone: 307-261-5485
Fax: 307-261-5487
Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center - Riverton Office
Phone: 307-856-3771
Fax: 307-857-3165
Roswell Field Office
Phone: 575-627-0324
Fax: 575-646-7949
Southwest Biological Science Center - Moab, UT, Research Station
Phone: 435-259-3121
USGS Everglades Research Offices
Phone: 305-242-7834
Colorado Water Science Center - Durango Field Office
gs-w-codist_webmaster@usgs.gov
Phone: 970-247-4222
Fax: 970-247-4296
Jackson, Wyoming Field Research Station
Phone: 307-733-2314
Las Cruces Field Office
Phone: (575) 646-8129
Fax: (575) 646-7949
Cedar City Field Office
baslaugh@usgs.gov
Phone: 435-586-4543
Fax: 435-586-4557
USGS Denver Library
den_lib@usgs.gov
Phone: 303-236-1000
Fax: 303-236-1013
The Core Research Center
CRC@USGS.GOV
Phone: 303-202-4851
Fax: 303-202-4856