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Waterlogging in an Alluvial Aquifer near Lake Minnequa, Pueblo, Colorado
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Abstract: The Lake Minnequa area, located immediately south of the Arkansas River, is mantled with as much as 46 feet (14 meters) of alluvium covering bedrock of Pierre Shale and Niobrara Formation. Surface water enters the area by the Minnequa Canal and the St. Charles Flood Ditch. The water is stored in Lake Minnequa and other reservoirs. Seepage from St. Charles Reservoirs No. 2 and No. 3 is the major source of water to the alluvial aquifer. The depth of the water table ranges from 0 to 40 feet (0 to 12.2 meters). A 0.5-square-mile (1.3-square-kilometers) area immediately south of Lake Minnequa has a water table less than 6 feet (1.8 meters) below land surface. Lake Minnequa is the principal cause of the shallow water table and resulting waterlogged soil. The bedrock hill east of Lake Minnequa and ground-water flow also contribute to the problem. To eliminate the waterlogging problem, the water table would have to be at least 6 feet (1.8 meters) below land surface. Possible alternatives for eliminating the problem include lowering the water, level in Lake Minnequa, placing a network of dewaterinq wells, or constructing a drainage system in the waterlogged area.