South Park Baseline Water Quality Study

Work performed by the Coalition for the Upper South Platte (CUSP) in  2011,  2012, 2013, 2014 monitored water quality in South  Park. The work involved monitoring of  wells identified in earlier  studies and additional groundwater sampling of wells and springs. There were 11 wells in the alluvium, 18 wells in the Cretaceous Seaway  Sedimentary Formations, 10 wells in the Laramide sedimentary formations, 8 wells in the Precambrian granitic bedrock, and 2 wells in the Antero lacustrine formations. All data was entered into the Colorado Data  Sharing Network.  Alias IDs were used to protect private property  owners.  BLM will also use the data in their Master Leasing Plan for Oil and Gas.  The additional monitoring will determine if a delicate  equilibrium exists that keeps saline groundwater separate from near  surface fresh water. They will collect data from 33 wells and 10  springs. This data will be added to the existing database.  Maps will be developed and integrated in the County Geology and Groundwater  Resources web page.