Hydrologic characteristics of the main aquifer in the Los Alamos area: development of ground water supplies

Technical Report · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:5233147

Purtymun, W D

Deep wells completed into the main aquifer have furnished 40.5 x 10/sup 9/ gal of water for the Los Alamos National Laboratory and for the communities of Los Alamos and White Rock from 1947 through 1982. The main aquifer is within the siltstones and sandstones of the Tesuque Formation along the Rio Grande, and it rises westward into the lower part of the Puye Conglomerate beneath the central and western part of the Pajarito Plateau. The Laboratory and communities of Los Alamos and White Rock are located on the Pajarito Plateau. Supply, test, and stock wells have been used to collect hydrologic data from the aquifer beneath the Pajarito Plateau and to the east along the Rio Grande. Hydrologic characteristics of springs along the Rio Grande, which are in the discharge area from the main aquifer, are included to supplement the data from the wells. Hydrologic characteristics of the aquifer determined from tests and observations are the saturated thickness, pumping or production rates of the wells, drawdown, specific capacity, field coefficient of permeability, transmissivity, rate of water movement in the aquifer, production from wells and fields, water-level trends of the aquifer, rates of water-level decline, and production per foot of water-level decline. Chemical quality of water in the aquifer varies according to the formations yielding water to the wells. Based on hydrologic characteristics of existing wells, suggested locations for four additional wells were made in areas to develop high-yield low-drawdown (1000-gpm/100-ft) supply wells. These locations are recommended in long-range planning for future water supply as the demand for water increases at the Laboratory and in the communities. A well to replace well G-4 in the Guaje Field is recommended to offset declining production in the field. 39 references, 13 figures, 6 tables.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 5233147
• Report Number(s): LA-9957-MS; ON: DE84007996
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
AQUIFERS
HYDROLOGY
NEW MEXICO
WATER SUPPLY
CONGLOMERATES
DATA COMPILATION
PLANNING
SANDSTONES
WATER QUALITY
WATER WALLS
DATA
ENERGY SYSTEMS
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
EQUIPMENT
FEDERAL REGION VI
HEATING SYSTEMS
INFORMATION
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
PASSIVE SOLAR HEATING SYSTEMS
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLAR HEATING SYSTEMS
USA
WALLS
580100* - Geology & Hydrology- (-1989)