The Dakota aquifer near Pueblo, Colorado: Faults and flow patterns

The Dakota Sandstone and the underlying Purgatoire Formation consisting of the Glencairn Shale and Lytle Sandstone Members form a board outcrop at the southeastern margin of the Canon City Embankment. The two formations form the Dakota aquifer, which supplies water to many domestic, stock, and irrigation wells in addition to a few municipal wells in the 12-township study area. Five large faults and several small faults, all apparently of high angle, are found in the study area. Analysis of water levels and water quality shows that parts of some of these faults restrict the flow of groundwater in the Dakota aquifer. Lithology of the rocks, particularly in the Dakota Sandstone and in the Glencairn Shale Member, is extremely variable. The lithology appears to affect the flow regime, possibly by determining how a particular segment of a fault affects flow. (USGS)