Simulation of an aquifer test on the Tesuque Pueblo Grant, New Mexico

Abstract

Introduction 1 Geohydrologic setting for the aquifer test 1 Aquifer-test design 3 Production well 3 Piezometers 3 Samples of water quality 5 Withdrawals from the production well 5 Geohydrology of the test site 5 Geophysical logs 5 Chemical quality of water samples 5 Hydraulic heads under unstressed conditions 5 Anisotropy ratio 9 Hydraulic communication with production well 9 Aquifer-test results 12 Digital model 12 Row equations 12 Geohydrologic system assumed for the model 14 Extent of modeled volume 14 Estimation of aquifer characteristics and apportionment in model 14 Specific storage 15 Specific yield 17 Hydraulic conductivity parallel to the beds 17 Hydraulic conductivity normal to the beds 17 Simulation of stable initial condition 18 Representation of the stress of the aquifer test 18 Calibration 19 Summary and conclusions 22 References cited 23 Metric conversion factors 24 Contents III IV Contents

Survey of hydrologic models and hydrologic data needs for tracking flow in the Rio Grande, north-central New Mexico, 2010

“…The report by Kernodle (1992) was designed to summarize the available models developed by the USGS, identify commonly simulated hydrogeologic characteristics, and isolate preferred approaches to simulating groundwater flow in the various basin-fill aquifer systems in Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas. The models discussed in that report that include the Middle Rio Grande Valley were Hearne (1985aHearne ( , 1985b, Reeder and others (1967), and Kernodle and Scott (1986).…”

Development and Application of Numerical Models to Estimate Fluxes through the Regional Aquifer beneath the Pajarito Plateau

“…Many authors have noted the lack of spatial continuity of low or high permeability beds with the Santa Fe Group (Hearne, 1980; Spiegel and Baldwin, 1963; Theis and Conover, 1962) and the difficulty of correlating geophysical or lithologic logs between even closely spaced wells (Cushman, 1965; Shomaker, 1974). Hearne (1980) noted that because of limited spatial continuity in low or high permeability rocks, under a regional pressure gradient vertical flow will occur through circuitous routes; thus effective anisotropy may be less pronounced at large spatial scales compared with that measured at small scales during pumping tests. North–south trending faults, which are ubiquitous in the Santa Fe Group, contribute to the lack of spatial continuity in individual beds.…”

“…Cushman (1965) noted that this aquifer characteristic can cause an unconfined aquifer to appear confined in a short‐term pumping test. This conceptual model is implemented in the numerical models of McAda and Wasiolek (1995) and Hearne (1980) The McAda and Wasiolek (1995) model place the majority of water supply wells in the basin within the upper 182.88‐m (600 foot)‐thick unconfined layer of the model. The other conceptual model is that a laterally extensive low permeability zone exists within the aquifer separating the shallow unconfined layer from a deeper confined aquifer.…”

Mathematical model of the Tesuque aquifer system near Pojoaque, New Mexico

“…The aquifer test at the Tesuque Pueblo Grant (Hearne, 1980) indicates a specific storage of about 2 x 10~6 per foot. The aquifer tests at the Pueblo Grants of San Ildefonso, Pojoaque, Nambe, and Tesuque indicate specific storage ranging from 1.5 x 10~7 per foot to 8.4 x 10~6 per foot (Peter Balleau, U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs, written commun., April 26, 1978).…”

“…Simulation of this aquifer test with a digital model (Hearne, 1980) provided an estimate of about 2 feet per day for the average hydraulic conductivity parallel to the beds.…”