Geology and hydrology of the shallow alluvial aquifer, West Sharrard Gulch, Colorado

Technical Report · Fri Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:6182630

Smuin, D R

Interactions between the alluvial groundwater and the surface water in West Sharrard Creek were studied during a series of investigations prompted by concerns over former waste disposal sites along the drainage. West Sharrard Gulch is adjacent to the former site of the Anvil Points Facility. The investigations involved well installations, groundwater monitoring and surface water studies. The studies revealed that surface water and groundwater along West Sharrard Gulch are linked by a series of recharge and discharge zones. These zones are in turn directly related to the gradients controlled by the differential erosion of various bedrock layers. Groundwater seeps were found at predictable locations based on the intersection of alluvial groundwater at streambed nickpoints. The nickpoints result when streambed erosion exposes sandstone lenses in the underlying Wasatch Formation. Information from well logs, groundwater monitoring records, and topographic maps was combined to form a conceptual model of the flow relationships. Similar models may have application for siting future waste disposal facilities related to oil shale development in the Piceance Creek Basin. 20 refs., 8 figs., 1 tab.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 6182630
• Report Number(s): ORNL/TM-11467; ON: DE91009046
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
041000* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Environmental Aspects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540350 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Site Resource & Use Studies-- (1990-)
ALLUVIAL DEPOSITS
ANVIL POINTS RESEARCH FACILITY
AQUIFERS
BASEMENT ROCK
CLIMATES
COLORADO
DIMENSIONS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
EROSION
FEDERAL REGION VIII
FLOW MODELS
FLOW RATE
FLUID FLOW
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
GEOLOGIC MODELS
GEOLOGIC STRATA
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOLOGY
GREEN RIVER FORMATION
GROUND WATER
HISTORICAL ASPECTS
HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROLOGY
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
LITHOLOGY
MANAGEMENT
MAPS
MASS TRANSFER
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MONITORING
NORTH AMERICA
OIL SHALE PROCESSING PLANTS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PICEANCE CREEK BASIN
RECHARGE
SANITARY LANDFILLS
SITE SELECTION
SURFACE WATERS
THICKNESS
TOPOGRAPHY
UINTA FORMATION
USA
WASATCH FORMATION
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WATER
WATER QUALITY
WELL LOGGING
WELLS