The Dockum Aquifer West Texas Robert G Bradley
The Dockum Aquifer, West Texas Robert G. Bradley, P. G. Texas Water Development Board
Geologic Setting • Cooper Canyon – Reddish-brown to orange siltstone and mudstone with lenses of sandstone, and conglomerate • Trujillo – Gray, brown, greenish-gray, fine to coarse-grained sandstone and sandy conglomerate with thin gray and red shale interbeds • Tecovas – Variegated, sometimes sandy mudstone with interbedded fine to medium grained sandstones. • Santa Rosa – Red to reddish-brown sandstone and conglomerate.
North-South Cross Section
Northern Cross Section
Central Cross Section
Southern Cross Section
Legend Contour interval = 200 feet Elevation in feet above sea level Approximate water-level elevations in the Dockum aquifer 1981 -1996
<5, 000 mg/l TDS >10, 000 mg/l TDS Distribution of Total Dissolved Solids 1985 - 1996 ! TDS sample collected in accordance with procedures in TWDB UM-51 (1991) D TDS sample not collected in accordance with procedures in TWDB UM-51 (1991)
Salinity hazard area Salinity hazard for areas overlying the Dockum aquifer
Historical water use from the Dockum aquifer
Conclusions • Recoverable water in sandstone/conglomerates • Locally important where sufficient sandstone thickness is present • Recharged by precipitation on outcrop and by leakage in confined areas • Regional flow to east and southeast • Poor quality (high TDS and Salinity)
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