NDLI: Characterization of the shallow groundwater system in an alpine watershed: Handcart Gulch, Colorado, USA

Content Provider	Springer Nature Link
Author	Kahn, Katherine Gurley Ge, Shemin Caine, Jonathan Saul Manning, Andrew
Copyright Year	2007
Abstract	Water-table elevation measurements and aquifer parameter estimates are rare in alpine settings because few wells exist in these environments. Alpine groundwater systems may be a primary source of recharge to regional groundwater flow systems. Handcart Gulch is an alpine watershed in Colorado, USA comprised of highly fractured Proterozoic metamorphic and igneous rocks with wells completed to various depths. Primary study objectives include determining hydrologic properties of shallow bedrock and surficial materials, developing a watershed water budget, and testing the consistency of measured hydrologic properties and water budget by constructing a simple model incorporating groundwater and surface water for water year 2005. Water enters the study area as precipitation and exits as discharge in the trunk stream or potential recharge for the deeper aquifer. Surficial infiltration rates ranged from 0.1–6.2×10$^{−5}$ m/s. Discharge was estimated at 1.28×10$^{−3}$ km$^{3}$. Numerical modeling analysis of single-well aquifer tests predicted lower specific storage in crystalline bedrock than in ferricrete and colluvial material (6.7×10$^{−5}$–2.0×10$^{−3}$ l/m). Hydraulic conductivity in crystalline bedrock was significantly lower than in colluvial and alluvial material (4.3×10$^{−9}$–2.0×10$^{−4}$ m/s). Water budget results suggest that during normal precipitation and temperatures water is available to recharge the deeper groundwater flow system.Les mesures de niveaux piézométriques et des paramètres caractéristiques des aquifères sont rares en contexte alpin, du fait du faible nombre d’ouvrages existants. Les systèmes aquifères alpins peuvent constituer une source primaire de réalimentation des systèmes aquifères régionaux. Handcart Gulch est un bassin versant alpin du Colorado (Etats-Unis), constitué de roches métamorphiques et ignées protérozoïques intensément fracturées, dans lesquelles les puits sont forés à des profondeurs diverses. L’étude considérée vise à déterminer les propriétés hydrologiques de la roche-mère à proximité de la surface et des matériaux superficiels, en développant un bilan en eau sur le bassin versant, et en testant la pertinence des propriétés hydrologiques mesurées et du bilan, par la construction d’un modèle simple qui intègre les eaux souterraines et de surface sur l’année hydrologique 2005. L’eau alimente la zone étudiée par les précipitations, et constitue à la fois un écoulement vers le cours d’eau principal et une réalimentation potentielle pour l’aquifère profond. Les infiltrations de surface sont comprises entre 0.1 et 6.2×10$^{−5}$ m/s. Le volume sortant est estimé à 1.28×10$^{−3}$ km$^{3}$. Une analyse par modélisation numérique des pompages d’essai effectués sur un puits unique a généré des coefficients d’emmagasinement plus faibles dans le socle cristallin que dans les matériaux colluviaux et cuirasses ferrugineuse (6.7×10$^{−5}$–2.0×10$^{−3}$ l/m). Les perméabilités dans le socle cristallin sont significativement plus faibles que dans les matériaux colluviaux et alluviaux (4.3×10$^{−9}$–2.0×10$^{−4}$ m/s). Le bilan en eau suggère qu’en période normale de précipitations et températures, l’eau est disponible pour la réalimentation du système aquifère profond.Las mediciones de elevaciones del nivel freático y las estimaciones de parámetros de acuíferos son raras en contextos alpinos debido a que existen pocos pozos en estos ámbitos. Los sistemas de agua subterránea alpinos pueden ser una fuente primaria de recarga a sistemas de flujo de agua subterránea regionales. Handcart Gulch es una cuenca alpina en Colorado, Estados Unidos, compuesta de rocas ígneas y metamórficas Proterozoicas altamente fracturadas con pozos completados a varias profundidades. Los objetivos principales del estudio incluyen la determinación de las propiedades hidrológicas del macizo rocoso somero y de materiales superficiales, desarrollando un balance hídrico para la cuenca, y evaluando la consistencia de las propiedades hidrológicas medidas y el balance hídrico, mediante la construcción de un modelo simple que incorpora agua superficial y agua subterránea para el año hídrico 2005. El agua entra al área de estudio en forma de precipitación y sale en forma de descarga en el río principal o mediante recarga potencial del acuífero más profundo. Los ritmos de infiltración superficial varían de 0.1–6.2×10$^{−5}$ m/s. La descarga se estimó en 1.28×10$^{−3}$ km$^{3}$. Los análisis de modelos numéricos de pruebas de acuíferos en un solo pozo pronosticaron almacenamiento específico más bajo en el macizo rocoso cristalino que en ferricreto y material coluvial (6.7×10$^{−5}$–2.0×10$^{−3}$ l/m). La conductividad hidráulica en el macizo rocoso cristalino fue significativamente más baja que en el material aluvial y coluvial (4.3×10$^{−9}$ a 2.0×10$^{−4}$ m/s). Los resultados del balance hídrico sugieren que durante temperatura y precipitación normal el agua está disponible para recargar el sistema de flujo de agua subterránea más profundo.
Starting Page	103
Ending Page	121
Page Count	19
File Format	PDF
ISSN	14312174
Journal	Hydrogeology Journal
Volume Number	16
Issue Number	1
e-ISSN	14350157
Language	English
Publisher	Springer-Verlag
Publisher Date	2007-11-27
Publisher Institution	International Association of Hydrogeologists
Publisher Place	Berlin, Heidelberg
Access Restriction	One Nation One Subscription (ONOS)
Subject Keyword	Groundwater recharge/water budget Numerical modeling Groundwater/surface-water relations Fractured crystalline rocks USA Waste Water Technology Water Pollution Control Water Management Aquatic Pollution Geology Hydrogeology
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Earth and Planetary Sciences Water Science and Technology

Sl.	Authority	Responsibilities	Communication Details
1	Ministry of Education (GoI), Department of Higher Education	Sanctioning Authority	https://www.education.gov.in/ict-initiatives
2	Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	Host Institute of the Project: The host institute of the project is responsible for providing infrastructure support and hosting the project	https://www.iitkgp.ac.in
3	National Digital Library of India Office, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	The administrative and infrastructural headquarters of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in
4	Project PI / Joint PI	Principal Investigator and Joint Principal Investigators of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in Prof. Saswat Chakrabarti will be added soon
5	Website/Portal (Helpdesk)	Queries regarding NDLI and its services	support@ndl.gov.in
6	Contents and Copyright Issues	Queries related to content curation and copyright issues	content@ndl.gov.in
7	National Digital Library of India Club (NDLI Club)	Queries related to NDLI Club formation, support, user awareness program, seminar/symposium, collaboration, social media, promotion, and outreach	clubsupport@ndl.gov.in
8	Digital Preservation Centre (DPC)	Assistance with digitizing and archiving copyright-free printed books	dpc@ndl.gov.in
9	IDR Setup or Support	Queries related to establishment and support of Institutional Digital Repository (IDR) and IDR workshops	idr@ndl.gov.in

Using saline tracers to evaluate preferential recharge in fractured rocks, Floyd County, Virginia, USA

Comparison of recharge estimates at a small watershed in east-central Pennsylvania, USA

Evidence for structurally controlled recharge in the Blue Ridge Province, Virginia, USA

Hydrogeology of the vicinity of Homestake mine, South Dakota, USA

Multiple-methods investigation of recharge at a humid-region fractured rock site, Pennsylvania, USA

A field study (Massachusetts, USA) of the factors controlling the depth of groundwater flow systems in crystalline fractured-rock terrain

Effects of crystalline massif tectonics on groundwater origin and catchment size of a large spring area in Zieleniec, Sudety Mountains, southwestern Poland

Recharge and pumping hydraulics in a till drumlin above fractured bedrock (Massachusetts, USA)

Mapping mean annual groundwater recharge in the Nebraska Sand Hills, USA

Characterization of the shallow groundwater system in an alpine watershed: Handcart Gulch, Colorado, USA

Similar Documents

Using saline tracers to evaluate preferential recharge in fractured rocks, Floyd County, Virginia, USA

Comparison of recharge estimates at a small watershed in east-central Pennsylvania, USA

Evidence for structurally controlled recharge in the Blue Ridge Province, Virginia, USA

Hydrogeology of the vicinity of Homestake mine, South Dakota, USA

Multiple-methods investigation of recharge at a humid-region fractured rock site, Pennsylvania, USA

A field study (Massachusetts, USA) of the factors controlling the depth of groundwater flow systems in crystalline fractured-rock terrain

Effects of crystalline massif tectonics on groundwater origin and catchment size of a large spring area in Zieleniec, Sudety Mountains, southwestern Poland

Recharge and pumping hydraulics in a till drumlin above fractured bedrock (Massachusetts, USA)

Mapping mean annual groundwater recharge in the Nebraska Sand Hills, USA

Characterization of the shallow groundwater system in an alpine watershed: Handcart Gulch, Colorado, USA