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Rejection of Recharge Water from Madison Aquifer Along Eastern Perimeter of Bighorn Artesian Basin, Wyoming
Author(s) -
Huntoon Peter W.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
groundwater
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.84
H-Index - 94
eISSN - 1745-6584
pISSN - 0017-467X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-6584.1985.tb00779.x
Subject(s) - groundwater recharge , artesian aquifer , geology , aquifer , structural basin , depression focused recharge , hydrology (agriculture) , geomorphology , geochemistry , groundwater , geotechnical engineering
Approximately half of the perimeters of Wyoming foreland artesian basins are characterized by structural continuity of the Paleozoic aquifers between the recharge areas and the interior parts of the artesian basins. A significant percentage of the ground water which circulates through such recharge areas is rejected through springs because there is a marked decrease in transmissivity basin‐ward from the recharge areas. The transmissivity contrasts have developed since the recharge areas became morphologically differentiated from the basin interiors during post‐Laramide time. Secondary enhancement of permeabilities is occurring in the recharge areas through dissolution of the rock matrix and cement, and in some locations the rocks were tectonically fractured. In contrast, the rates of dissolution within the basin interiors are substantially decreased, or processes of recrystallization, cementation, or compaction are operating to destroy permeability. The result is that in the case treated here, net recharge to the basin interior is a small fraction of measured stream losses in the headwaters of the recharge area.