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AUTHOR:
MONO AUTH: White, Nicholas E.
MONO TITLE: Integrated geophysical investigation of a shallow aquifer at
Rocky Mountain Arsenal, Denver, Colorado
CORP INFO: Colorado School of Mines; Golden, CO; United States
Master's
SOURCE: 146
REFERENCES: 26
YEAR: 1995
LANGUAGE: English
PUB TYPE: Thesis, Monographic
FORMAT: illus.
ABSTRACT: This document evaluates the feasibility of integrating several
geophysical methods to characterize geologic and hydrologic
features, that are associated with a shallow paleochannel in the
Denver Formation near Rocky Mountain Arsenal (RMA), Denver
Colorado. The site is located in Section 13, Township 2 South,
Range 67 West of the Rocky Mountain Arsenal's Offpost Study
Area. The application of geophysical methods is desired to
supplement geologic data, derived from soil borings and wells,
pertaining to shallow groundwater aquifers (approximately 20 to
100 ft depth) at RMA. Surveys were designed, implemented, and
evaluated for five geophysical methods; seismic refraction,
seismic reflection, direct current (DC) resistivity, gravity,
and frequency-domain electromagnetics (EM). Survey design was
aided by the creation of forward models and by field testing.
Data acquisition was carried out along three intersecting
profiles, one of which is near five soil boring locations. Data
interpretation began with a geophysical model that was created
from existing geologic information. Results from the five
geophysical methods were then integrated to form an interpreted
geologic model that correlates with existing borings and wells.
The subsequent evaluation of the geophysical methods reveals
that P-wave refraction is successful in delineating the surface
of the groundwater aquifer within the boundaries of the
paleochannel, and is successful in delineating the surface of
the Denver Formation in regions where it subcrops above the
aquifer surface (outside of paleochannel boundaries). The S-wave
refraction method is shown to be useful in defining the surface
of the unweathered Denver Formation. DC soundings alone yield
ambiguous information on the depths and resistivities of the
Denver Formation and overlying alluvial units. However, when DC
sounding interpretations are constrained with the depth of the
Denver Formation, known from borings and seismic methods, a
complex alluvial structure is defined with more detail than any
of the other four methods. The gravity method is used to
delineate the surface of the Denver Formation. Frequency-domain
EM profiles are successful in defining the shape of the Denver
Formation, but are not successful in determining accurate depths
to its surface. Seismic reflection methods (P-wave and S-wave),
as implemented in this study, are shown to be ineffective tools
for characterization of the shallow paleochannel.
DESCRIPTOR: Adams County Colorado; aquifers; buried channels; buried
features; Cenozoic; Colorado; Cretaceous; Denver Formation;
direct-current methods; elastic waves; electromagnetic surveys;
fluvial features; geophysical surveys; ground water; Mesozoic;
Paleocene; Paleogene; Rocky Mountain Arsenal; seismic surveys;
shallow aquifers; surveys; Tertiary; United States; Upper
Cretaceous; velocity structure
LATITUDES: N394000; N395000
LONGITUDES: W1044500; W1045500