Groundwater Hydrology and Estimation of Horizontal Groundwater Flux from the Rio Grande in Albuquerque, New Mexico

摘要

In 2003, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. ArmyrnCorps of Engineers, began a detailed hydrologic characterization of the Rio Grande riparian corridorrnin Albuquerque, New Mexico, to provide hydrologic data to enhance the understanding of hydraulicrninteractions among the river, riverside drains, and shallow alluvial aquifer.rnThroughout the Albuquerque Rio Grande riparian corridor, groundwater flows away from the Rio Granderntowards riverside drains. Results of slug tests indicate that shallow (less than 50 feet) alluvial hydraulicrnconductivities range from 3 to 240 feet per day (ft/d) with a median of 50 ft/d. Based on groundwater-levelrnmeasurements, the average of median daily horizontal hydraulic gradients ranged from 0.002 to 0.011.rnGroundwater fluxes calculated using hydraulic conductivities and Darcy’s law ranged from about 1.2 to 32.4rncubic feet per day per linear foot of river (ft3/d/ft), and those calculated using temperature and the Suzuki-rnStallman method ranged from 6.9 to 15.6 ft3/d/ft. While the calculated Darcy’s law and Suzuki-Stallmanrnfluxes are similar, comparisons to measured fluxes derived from seepage surveys of riverside drains nearrnthe Montaño Bridge indicate that the calculated flux of water from the Rio Grande at the Montaño Bridgernaccounts for only 18 to 50 percent of the measured drain fluxes.rnThe results of this study indicate that groundwater flux rates within the Rio Grande riparian corridor arernhighly variable and scale dependent and that seepage from the Rio Grande is not the only source contributingrnwater to the riverside drains.