Regional Water Resource Evaluations and Recharge Studies
GGI has conducted regional (e.g., San Luis Basin – publication, Albuquerque Basin, Zuni Reservation) and sub-regional (e.g., Ruidoso Downs area – publication) studies to determine water resource availability, regional water level variations, horizontal and vertical variations in water quality and aquifer productivity, and timing/rates of recharge. These studies have included:
- Regional subsurface stratigraphic correlations for basin analysis (publication)
- Isotopic studies to constrain timing and rate of recharge (publication)
- Geochemical ‘fingerprinting’ of aquifers using major element and isotope geochemistry
- Installation of groundwater monitoring and precipitation recording networks to monitor water level fluctuations relative to precipitation
- Mapping of geology and structures that influence recharge
- Stream gaging to identify ‘losing’ stream reaches that recharge the aquifer and ‘gaining’ stream reaches that are aquifer discharge points
- Well and spring inventories for tribal governments
- Evaluation of effects of groundwater development on hydrologically sensitive springs, streams, and other water sources
Regional Hydrogeologic cross-section from well data and surficial geologic mapping, Taos, NM
Potentiometric Surface Map of Southern San Luis Basin completed by GGI
Geologic map compiled to evaluate structural controls on spring discharge, Ruidoso Downs, NM
Piper diagram used to characterize various aquifers in west-central NM using major element geochemistry
Recharge analysis in the San Luis Basin using oxygen-deuterium isotopic ratios