Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation. 17. Geomorphology of the Red River Valley, Taos County, New Mexico, and Influence on Ground-Water Flow in the Shallow Alluvial Aquifer

摘要

The purpose of this report is to describe the geomorphology of the Red River Valley and to determine the main geomorphologic factors that could cause ground water to flow from the shallow alluvial aquifer into the Red River. The approach is twofold: first, the general geomorphic history and processes were studied using standard field methods. Second, available data were used to define the hydraulic properties of Red River alluvium and tributary debris-fan sediments and to define the cross-sectional and longitudinal geometry of the alluvial aquifer for a reach of the Red River Valley. This information was combined to form a generalized conceptual model of the Red River aquifer, and specifically a mathematical formulation of ground-water flow. Darcy-based calculations of ground-water discharge were made for a sequence of cross sections of the alluvial aquifer, and the results were used to construct a water budget for the Red River aquifer in the vicinity of the Questa mine.