I 25

I 40

106°45'W 106°40'W 106°35'W 106°30'W

35°15'N

35°10'N

35°5'N

35°0'N

Map area

NEW MEXICO

I 25

I 40

Rio Grande

Rio Grande

Rio Grande

350910106414802

350706106390302

350653106311602

Matheson

350638106413702

350534106354702

Del Sol

351515106410402

351114106330602

Armijo

350244106450202

350056106370102

Montessa

Westgate

Garfield

Sierra Vista

Lincoln

West Bluff

KIRTLAND AIR

FORCE BASE

Nor Este

RIO RANCHO

IMW B nest

Montano Nest 6

4,890

4,910

4,930

4,950

4,870

4,850

4,970

4,990

4,850

4,870

4,910

4,910

4,890

4,930

4,910

4,890

4,890

4,890

4,890

4,870

4,870

4,910

4,870

4,890

4,930

4,910

0 3 6 MILES

0 3 6 KILOMETERS

Estimated 2008 Groundwater Potentiometric Surface and Predevelopment to 2008 Water-Level Change in the Santa Fe Group 

Aquifer System in the Albuquerque Area, Central New Mexico

By

Sarah E. Falk, Laura M. Bexfield, and Scott K. Anderholm

2011

Base from ESRI Data and Maps, 2008 World, Europe, United States, Canada, and Mexico (2008). Redlands, CA: ESRI, digital data, 1:50,000

Faults modified from Mark Hudson and Scott Minor, U.S. Geological Survey, written communication, 1999

Streams, military base, and Indian reservation boundaries from the U.S. Department of Commerce,

Bureau of the Census, various years, TIGER/Line files, digital data, 1:100,000

Universal Transverse Mercator Zone 13N projection

North American Datum of 1983 and North American Vertical Datum of 1988

Scientific Investigations Map 3162

Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority

Abstract

The water-supply requirements of the Albuquerque metropolitan area of central New 

Mexico have historically been met almost exclusively by groundwater withdrawal from the 

Santa Fe Group aquifer system. Previous studies have indicated that the large quantity of 

groundwater withdrawal relative to recharge has resulted in water-level declines in the 

aquifer system throughout the metropolitan area. Analysis of the magnitude and pattern of 

water-level change can help improve understanding of how the groundwater system 

responds to withdrawals and variations in the management of the water supply and can 

support water-management agencies’ efforts to minimize future water-level declines and 

improve sustainability. This report, prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation 

with the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority, presents the estimated 

groundwater potentiometric surface during winter (from December to March) of the 2008 

water year (WY 08) and the estimated changes in water levels between predevelopment 

and WY 08 for the production zone of the Santa Fe Group aquifer system in the 

Albuquerque and surrounding metropolitan and military areas. Hydrographs from selected 

wells are included to provide details of historical water-level changes.

In general, water-level measurements used for this report were measured in 

small-diameter observation wells screened over short intervals and were considered to best 

represent the potentiometric head in the production zone—the interval of the aquifer, about 

300 feet below land surface to 1,100 feet or more below land surface, in which production 

wells generally are screened. Water-level measurements were collected by various local 

and Federal agencies. The WY 08 potentiometric surface map was created in a geographic 

information system, and the change in water-level elevation from predevelopment to 

WY 08 was calculated. The 2008 water-level contours indicate that the general direction 

of groundwater flow is from the Rio Grande towards clusters of production wells in the 

east, north, and west. Water-level changes from predevelopment to 2008 are variable across 

the area. Hydrographs from piezometers on the east side of the river generally indicate a 

trend of decline in the annual highest water level through most of the period of record. 

Hydrographs from piezometers in the valley near the river and on the west side of the river 

indicate spatial variability in water-level trends.

Introduction

The water-supply requirements of the Albuquerque metropolitan area of central New 

Mexico have historically been met almost exclusively by groundwater withdrawal from the 

Santa Fe Group aquifer system. The large quantity of groundwater withdrawal relative to 

recharge has resulted in water-level declines in the aquifer system throughout the 

metropolitan area (Bexfield and Anderholm, 2002a). Analysis of the magnitude and pattern 

of water-level change can help improve understanding of how the groundwater system 

responds to withdrawals and variations in the management of the water supply and can 

support water-management agencies’ efforts to minimize future water-level declines and 

improve sustainability.

In response to groundwater declines, the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility 

Authority (ABCWUA) has implemented a strategy to obtain and develop sustainable 

sources of water for municipal use (ABCWUA, 2007). The principal components of this 

strategy include development of renewable surface-water allocations as the primary 

municipal supply, establishment of a groundwater reserve for times of drought, increased 

use of water-conservation measures to reduce water consumption, and regional 

water-resource planning and management. The ABCWUA started treatment and 

distribution of surface water for municipal supply after completion of the San Juan-Chama 

Drinking Water Project in December 2008. Groundwater withdrawal will gradually be 

reduced by increasing distribution and use of treated surface water to provide 90 percent of 

the municipal supply (ABCWUA, 2009).

Purpose and Scope

This report, prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the 

ABCWUA, presents the estimated groundwater potentiometric surface during winter (from 

December to March) of the 2008 water year (WY; a water year is the 12-month period of 

October 1 through September 30 designated by the calendar year in which it ends) and the 

estimated changes in water levels between predevelopment (as could best be judged by 

Bexfield and Anderholm [2000] on the basis of pre-1961 water levels in the Albuquerque 

area) and WY 08 for the production zone of the Santa Fe Group aquifer system in the 

Albuquerque and surrounding metropolitan and military areas. Hydrographs from selected 

wells are included to provide details of historical water-level changes.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank John Stomp of the ABCWUA for guidance and support of this 

investigation to improve understanding of the water resources of the Albuquerque area. 

Various Federal and local agencies are acknowledged for providing data for this report. 

Specifically, Mick Jakymiw with the City of Rio Rancho Department of Public Works 

Utilities Operation Division provided water-level data for production and monitoring wells; 

the data were collected by personnel of the City of Rio Rancho. Harold Greear, Daniel 

Garcia, and Bagher Dayyani with the ABCWUA provided assistance with access to wells. 

Mark Dazell with Kirtland Air Force Base (KAFB) provided water-level data for the 

production wells at KAFB; the data were collected by personnel of KAFB. Franz Lauffer 

with Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) provided water-level data for monitoring wells 

located at KAFB; the data were collected by personnel of SNL and KAFB. 

The authors thank Joseph Beman of the USGS for making measurements of water 

levels in the ABCWUA production wells and the USGS piezometers.

Data Sources

The accuracy of water-level elevations used in this report is related to the methods 

used to determine the elevation of land surface and to measure the depth to water in the 

well. Water-level elevations are calculated as the difference between the land-surface 

elevation and the measured depth to water. Land-surface elevations were determined by the 

USGS by estimating from 7.5-minute topographic quadrangle maps or Global Positioning 

System methods or were determined by the agency reporting the water level. All elevations 

were assumed to be accurate to within plus or minus 5 feet (ft), the accuracy of the likely 

least accurate method (estimation from 10-ft land-surface elevation contours from 

7.5-minute topographic quadrangle maps).

Depths to water in wells were measured by using a steel tape, an electric tape, or an 

airline. The standard USGS procedure for water-level measurement is done by using a steel 

tape (Sweet and others, 1990), which is generally considered accurate to plus or minus 0.01 

ft (Sweet and others, 1990; Dalton and others, 1991). Thermal expansion and stretching of 

the steel tape at depths greater than 1,000 ft can reduce the accuracy (Garber and 

Koopman, 1968). Electric-tape measurements of shallow water levels conducted with a 

well-maintained probe are accurate to within plus or minus 0.02 ft (Dalton and others, 

1991). Wear of the tape and the probe, kinks in the tape, and stretching of the tape with 

increased depth can reduce the accuracy to plus or minus 0.1 ft (Barcelona and others, 

1985; Dalton and others, 1991). Airline measurements of water level by determination of 

the pressure required to displace the water from a known length of submerged tubing are 

accurate to as much as plus or minus 0.25 ft (Garber and Koopman, 1968; Dalton and 

others, 1991). The accuracy of airline measurements can be decreased by numerous factors 

including inaccuracies in measuring the length of the airline, gage errors, leaks, decreased 

water density at higher temperature, and increased water density with increased salinity 

(Garber and Koopman, 1968; Dalton and others, 1991). For this report, steel-tape and 

electric-tape measurements were considered accurate to within 1 ft. Airline measurements 

were considered accurate to within 5 ft and were used only when other data were not 

available, when the water levels were comparable to data for nearby wells, and when water 

levels from the well did not show erratic variation over the period of record.

Water-level elevations from wells and piezometers screened in the middle of the 

production zone (the interval of the aquifer, about 300 ft below land surface to 1,100 ft or 

more below land surface, in which production wells generally are screened) were 

considered to best represent the potentiometric head in the production zone. (The 

potentiometric head is the elevation at which water stands in a tightly cased well.) The 

water level measured at the water table can differ as much as 25 ft or more from the water 

level measured in deeper parts of the aquifer; generally the potentiometric-head gradient is 

downward in the central and western parts of Albuquerque and upward in the eastern part 

of Albuquerque (Bexfield and Anderholm, 2002a). In general, piezometers used for this 

report were small-diameter observation wells screened over short intervals (5–20 ft) and 

screened near the middle of the production zone (except for piezometers located at KAFB, 

described later in this section). 

Water-level measurements used for this report, collected from WY 06 to WY 09, were 

determined to be comparable despite the span of time between measurements because 

errors caused by comparing water-level measurements collected over approximately 4 

years are nearly equivalent to the variation in measured water levels for the same year in 

wells having long screened intervals. The water levels measured in nested piezometers that 

span the length of long screened intervals in nearby production wells can vary by 10 ft or 

more (Bexfield and Anderholm, 2002a). Additionally, water-level measurements in 

piezometers in the production zone generally vary 1–2 ft per year. 

Water-level measurements for ABCWUA production wells were made by USGS 

personnel as part of a program to monitor near-static water levels during times of low 

water demand for each well. Water levels were measured primarily in winter (a minimal 

number of water levels were measured in October, November, or April) and after the well 

had not been pumped for at least 2 weeks and the water level in the well had stabilized. 

Water levels were measured with a steel or electric tape. The most recently available winter 

water level for each well, either WY 07 or WY 08, was used in this report.

Water-level measurements for City of Rio Rancho production and monitoring wells 

were made by City of Rio Rancho personnel and were provided to the USGS by the City of 

Rio Rancho Department of Public Works Utilities Operation Division (Mick Jakymiw, City 

of Rio Rancho, written commun., 2008). Water levels in production wells were measured 

monthly after the well had not been pumped for several hours and in some cases days to 

months. Water levels in monitoring wells were measured monthly. Water-level 

measurements were made with either an airline or an electric tape. City of Rio Rancho 

water-level data used in this report were selected from measurements made primarily in 

February or March during WY 06, WY 07, or WY 08. Water-level measurements obtained 

with an electric tape and water-level measurements obtained after the well had not been 

pumped for at least a week were considered to be more accurate and representative of 

aquifer conditions and were given preference in the selection process.

Water-level measurements for 26 piezometer nests (4 nests are outside the area shown 

on the map), part of a water-level network maintained by the USGS in cooperation with the 

ABCWUA, were made by USGS personnel. The piezometer nests generally are located at 

least 1 mile (mi) from production wells to reduce the short-term effects of pumping on 

measured water levels. The piezometers are installed as nested wells, usually three 

piezometers per nest, and in most cases the screen lengths are 5−10 ft. Typically one 

piezometer is near the water table, one is near the middle of the production zone, and one is 

near the bottom of or below the production zone. Data used in this report generally were 

from piezometers screened near the middle of the production zone. Water-level 

measurements were made with an electric or steel tape. Water-level data were selected 

from measurements made in winter months during WY 07 or WY 08.

Continuous water-level data were collected by using pressure transducers at 

piezometer nests as part of the monitoring network (Beman, 2009). Continuous water-level 

data for the period of record through WY 08 (Beman, 2009) are used in this report to 

evaluate trends in groundwater levels. The data were collected hourly by using differential 

pressure transducers and dataloggers and following USGS guidelines described in Freeman 

and others (2004; Joe E. Beman, oral commun., 2010). The piezometer nests were visited 

every 4–8 weeks, at which times water-level data were downloaded from the dataloggers 

and check measurements of water level were obtained (Joe E. Beman, written commun., 

2010).

Water-level measurements for 18 piezometers located on KAFB were made by KAFB 

or SNL personnel and were provided to the USGS by SNL (Franz Lauffer, SNL, written 

commun., 2009). The piezometers installed by SNL generally are screened near the water 

table in the upper part of the aquifer. Water levels were usually measured three or four 

times a year and were measured with an electric or steel tape. Water-level data were 

selected from measurements made in winter months during WY 07, WY 08, or WY 09.

Water-level measurements for two supply wells located on KAFB were made by 

KAFB personnel and were provided to the USGS by KAFB (Mark Dazell, KAFB, written 

commun., 2009). Water levels were measured monthly with an airline after the well had 

not been pumped for approximately 3 days. Water-level data were selected from 

measurements made in winter WY 08.

For areas near the Rio Grande, few water-level measurements were available in the 

production zone; therefore, riverbed elevations and water-level differences at five nested 

piezometer sites located near the river (Isleta, Rio Bravo Park, West Bluff, Montano 

Nest 6, and IMW B nest) were used to estimate water-level elevations. Water-level 

measurements from a piezometer screened across the shallow aquifer and another screened 

across the production zone were compared to estimate the difference in potentiometric 

head between the shallow aquifer and the production zone. The potentiometric-head 

difference between the shallow aquifer and the production zones was then linearly 

interpolated along the length of the river at 1-mi intervals. Potentiometric heads in the 

shallow aquifer were 6 ft to more than 25 ft higher than hydraulic heads in the production 

zone (Beman, 2009). Assuming that the river and the shallow aquifer have a good 

hydraulic connection and that the altitude of the riverbed is representative of the 

potentiometric head in the shallow aquifer, an estimated altitude of the water level in the 

production zone was calculated as the difference between the riverbed elevation and the 

production-zone groundwater-head elevation along the river. 

Methods for Estimating Water-Level Contours and 

Water-Level Change

The WY 08 potentiometric-surface map (fig. 1) was created in a geographic 

information system (GIS). Well locations were plotted, and the water-level elevation data 

were hand contoured in the GIS. Water-level contours were converted to a gridded surface 

by using a spline interpolation technique that requires the surface to exactly match the 

water-level elevation along the contour and to have minimum curvature; the technique was 

modified to better constrain the surface to the sample data range (Environmental Systems 

Research Institute, Inc., 2009). Water-level elevations from the WY 08 estimated 

potentiometric surface and the predevelopment potentiometric surface of Bexfield and 

Anderholm (2000) were interpolated onto a grid of points spaced at 1,640-ft intervals. The 

change in water-level elevation from predevelopment to WY 08 was then calculated for 

each grid point. A surface of the calculated change in water level was generated from the 

gridded points by using the spline interpolator technique. Paired predevelopment and 

WY 08 water-level measurements from 16 wells were used to verify the calculated 

water-level change. The areas for which the potentiometric surface and the estimated 

water-level change are shown on the map were selected to focus on areas where the most 

data were available, and in general, boundaries were selected to exclude areas where 

water-level measurements were too sparse. The eastern edge of the contoured area was 

selected with the intent of excluding the area east of where Bexfield and Anderholm (2000) 

indicated the existence of hydraulic discontinuities, probably associated with major faults, 

where water levels would not be representative of the production zone. 

The areas of water-level change presented on this map (fig. 1) are intended to provide 

only reasonable estimates of the general magnitude, extent, and areal pattern of water-level 

change in the production zone of the Santa Fe Group aquifer system. Because of the degree 

of variability and accuracy of the data and the error introduced by the comparison of 

interpolated values on a discrete grid, the boundaries shown between intervals of 

water-level change are not precisely located. Therefore, it is not appropriate to use this map 

to estimate the exact water-level change at an individual location.

Hydrographs

Hydrographs for the period of record from selected piezometers (fig. 2) were 

examined visually for trends in groundwater levels. Hydrographs from the selected 

piezometers indicate seasonal variation in water levels that is related to withdrawals from 

nearby production wells; in general, water levels decline during summer months when 

withdrawals are larger and increase during winter months when withdrawals are smaller.

Hydrographs from piezometers on the east side of the river (Nor Este, Matheson, 

Montessa, and Del Sol) generally indicate a decline in the annual highest water level 

(AHWL) through most of the period of record. The hydrograph from the Nor Este 

piezometer indicates an increase in AHWL starting in WY 08, and hydrographs from the 

other selected piezometers indicate an increase in AHWL starting in WY 07.

Hydrographs from piezometers in the valley near the river (Garfield and West Bluff) 

and on the west side of the river (Lincoln, Sierra Vista, and Westgate) indicate spatial 

variability in water-level trends. Hydrographs from the Garfield and West Bluff 

piezometers indicate no consistent trends in the AHWL, with intervals of increasing and 

declining AHWL; Garfield indicates less variability in AHWL than West Bluff. 

Hydrographs from the Lincoln and Sierra Vista piezometers indicate a trend of almost 

steady decline in AHWL; Lincoln indicates small increase in WY 01 and WY 07. The 

hydrographs from the Westgate piezometer indicate an increase in AHWL for the period of 

record except for WY 05 and WY 08.

Groundwater Flow and Water-Level Changes

The 2008 water-level contours indicate that the general direction of groundwater flow 

is from the Rio Grande towards clusters of production wells in the east, north, and west. 

Steep hydraulic gradients are present along the eastern margin of the Albuquerque 

metropolitan area (as much as 0.036 ft/ft), near production wells in the northwest (as much 

as 0.028 ft/ft), and west of the river between the Armijo and Sierra Vista monitoring wells 

(as much as 0.027 ft/ft). Historically, groundwater in the mapped area flowed from north to 

south-southwest on the east side of the Rio Grande and from northeast to southwest on the 

west side of the Rio Grande (Bexfield and Anderholm, 2000). Predevelopment hydraulic 

gradients were as much as 0.028 ft/ft in the northwest and as much as 0.0025 ft/ft in the 

valley along the river (calculated from Bexfield and Anderholm, 2000) Water-level 

changes from predevelopment to 2008 are variable across the basin. Water-level changes 

are smallest in the southwestern part of the study area, where groundwater withdrawals are 

minimal, and along the Rio Grande, where recharge from the river is occurring. Water-level 

changes are largest along the eastern margin of the study area (decline of more than 120 ft) 

and in the northwest (decline of more than 100 ft). Groundwater declines along the eastern 

margin of the study area are likely amplified by the proximity of clusters of production 

wells to basin-bounding faults that are the boundary between the large thickness of the 

higher permeability basin-fill sediments and the reduced thickness of basin-fill sediments 

overlying bedrock along the margin of the basin (Connell, 2006). Groundwater declines in 

the western and northwestern part of the basin are likely the effect of pumping stresses; 

however, faulting and the resulting juxtaposition of lithologic units with different 

hydrologic properties likely increase the declines in water levels from withdrawals 

(Heywood and others, 2002, p. 15–16; McAda and Barroll, 2002, p. 38–46). Water-level 

declines along the river north of the Sierra Vista piezometer likely result from greater 

groundwater withdrawals in the north and propagation of water-level declines outward 

from clusters of production wells.

Similar to predevelopment to WY 08 water-level changes, changes in groundwater 

levels from 2000 (mapped by Bexfield and Anderholm, 2002b) to 2008 indicate continued 

declines in water level in most areas across the basin. Areas of greater declines west of the 

Rio Grande are primarily in the north coincident with clusters of production wells and are 

in accord with the hydrographs from piezometers located in the area (Lincoln and Sierra 

Vista). Areas of decline east of the river are primarily along the eastern basin margin and 

are in accord with hydrographs indicating a decline from 2000 to 2008; however, 

hydrographs from wells east of the river also indicate recent rises in water level that 

possibly represent a reversal in the trend of declining water levels. Some minor differences 

in mapped groundwater conditions from 2000 to 2008 are the result of mapping techniques 

and changes in the availability of water-level data.

References

Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority (ABCWUA), 2007, Water resources 

management strategy—October 2007, overview, policies, and strategy for use of existing 

supplies: Albuquerque, N.M., Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority, 

25 p., with appendix and two attachments.

Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority (ABCWUA), 2009, The San 

Juan-Chama Drinking Water Project—one year anniversary: Albuquerque, N.M., 

Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority, 7 p.

Barcelona, M.J., Gibb, J.P., Helfrich, J.A., and Garske, E.E., 1985, Practical guide for 

ground-water sampling: Champaign, Illinois State Water Survey SWS Contract 

Report 374, 94 p.

Beman, J.E., 2009, Water-level data for the Albuquerque Basin and adjacent areas, central 

New Mexico, period of record through September 30, 2008: U.S. Geological Survey 

Open-File Report 2009–1125, 38 p.

Bexfield, L.M., and Anderholm, S.K., 2000, Predevelopment water-level map of the 

Santa Fe Group aquifer system in the Middle Rio Grande Basin between Cochiti Lake 

and San Acacia, New Mexico: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations 

Report 00–4249, 1 sheet.

Bexfield, L.M., and Anderholm, S.K., 2002a, Spatial patterns and temporal variability in 

water quality from City of Albuquerque drinking-water supply wells and piezometer nests, 

implications for the ground-water flow system: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources 

Investigations Report 01–4224, 101 p.

Bexfield, L.M., and Anderholm, S.K., 2002b, Estimated water-level declines in the Santa Fe 

Group aquifer system in the Albuquerque area, central New Mexico, predevelopment to 

2002: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 02–4223, 1 sheet.

Connell, S.D., 2006, Preliminary geologic map of the Albuquerque-Rio Rancho 

metropolitan area and vicinity, Bernalillo and Sandoval Counties, New Mexico: 

Socorro, New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources, Open-File Report 496, 

scale 1:50,000, 2 sheets.

Dalton, M.G., Huntsman, B.E., and Bradbury, K., 1991, Acquisition and interpretation of 

water-level data, in Nielsen, D.M., ed., Practical handbook of ground-water monitoring: 

Chelsea, Mich., Lewis Publishers, p. 367–395.

Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc., 2009, ArcGIS 9.3 desktop help—how Spline 

works: accessed July 23, 2009, at http://webhelp.esri.com/arcgisdesktop/9.3/index.cfm?

TopicName=How%20Spline%20works.

Freeman, L.A., Carpenter, M.C., Rosenberry, D.O., Rousseau, J.P., Unger, R., and 

McLean, J.S., 2004, Use of submersible pressure transducers in water-resources 

investigations: U.S. Geological Survey Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations, 

chap. A3, book 8, 52 p. 

Garber, M.S., and Koopman, F.C., 1968, Methods of measuring water levels in deep 

wells: U.S. Geological Survey Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations, chap. A1, 

book 8, 23 p.

Heywood, C.E., Galloway, D.L., and Stork, S.V., 2002, Ground displacements caused by 

aquifer-system water-level variations observed using interferometric synthetic aperture 

radar near Albuquerque, New Mexico: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources 

Investigations Report 02–4235, 18 p.

McAda, D.P., and Barroll, P., 2002, Simulation of ground-water flow in the middle Rio 

Grande basin between Cochiti and San Acacia, New Mexico: U.S. Geological Survey 

Water-Resources Investigations Report 02–4200, 81 p.

Sweet, H.R., Rosenthal, Gerritt, and Atwood, D.F., 1990, Water level 

monitoring—achievable accuracy and precision, in Neilsen, D.M., and Johnson, A.I., eds., 

Ground water and vadose zone monitoring: Philadelphia, American Society for Testing and 

Materials, Special Technical Publication 1053, p. 178–192.

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Suggested Citation:

Falk, S.E., Bexfield, L.M., and Anderholm, S.K., 2011, Estimated 2008 groundwater potentiometric surface and 

predevelopment to 2008 water-level change in the Santa Fe Group aquifer system in the Albuquerque area, 

central New Mexico: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Map 3162, 1 sheet.

Publishing support provided by USGS Lafayette Publishing Service Center

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reproduce any copyrighted materials contained within this report.

Printed on recycled paper

Isleta

Rio Bravo Park

EXPLANATION 

Daily mean water-level altitude, in feet above NGVD 29.

Altitude of the annual highest water level, in feet above National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD 29).

Water-level altitude, 

in feet above NGVD 29

Water-level altitude, 

in feet above NGVD 29

Water-level altitude, 

in feet above NGVD 29

Water-level altitude, 

in feet above NGVD 29

Water-level altitude, 

in feet above NGVD 29

Water-level altitude, 

in feet above NGVD 29

Water-level altitude, 

in feet above NGVD 29

Water-level altitude, 

in feet above NGVD 29

Water-level altitude, 

in feet above NGVD 29

Figure 1.—Map showing estimated 2008 potentometric surface and water-level change, predevelopment to 2008.

Figure 2. Hydrographs for selected piezometers (locations shown on fig. 1).

U.S. Geological Survey site identifier is shown with piezometer nest name. 

WY, water year.

4,910

4,915

4,920

4,925

4,845

4,850

4,855

4,860

4,865 Matheson

350653106311602 

4,845

4,850

4,855

4,860

4,865

4,870

4,875 Del Sol

350534106354702 

4,870

4,875

4,880

4,885

4,890

4,905

4,910

4,915

4,920

4,925

4,910

4,915

4,920

4,925

4,930

4,935

4,940

4,945

4,950

4,955

4,945

4,950

4,955

4,960

Lincoln

351515106410402 

4,940

4,945

4,950

4,955

4,960

4,885

4,890

4,895

4,900

4,905

4,910

WY 97 WY 98 WY 99 WY 00 WY 01 WY 02 WY 03 WY 04 WY 05 WY 06 WY 07 WY 08

WY 97 WY 98 WY 99 WY 00 WY 01 WY 02 WY 03 WY 04 WY 05 WY 06 WY 07 WY 08

WY 97 WY 98 WY 99 WY 00 WY 01 WY 02 WY 03 WY 04 WY 05 WY 06 WY 07 WY 08

WY 97 WY 98 WY 99 WY 00 WY 01 WY 02 WY 03 WY 04 WY 05 WY 06 WY 07 WY 08

WY 97 WY 98 WY 99 WY 00 WY 01 WY 02 WY 03 WY 04 WY 05 WY 06 WY 07 WY 08

WY 97 WY 98 WY 99 WY 00 WY 01 WY 02 WY 03 WY 04 WY 05 WY 06 WY 07 WY 08

WY 97 WY 98 WY 99 WY 00 WY 01 WY 02 WY 03 WY 04 WY 05 WY 06 WY 07 WY 08

WY 97 WY 98 WY 99 WY 00 WY 01 WY 02 WY 03 WY 04 WY 05 WY 06 WY 07 WY 08

WY 97 WY 98 WY 99 WY 00 WY 01 WY 02 WY 03 WY 04 WY 05 WY 06 WY 07 WY 08

Nor Este

351114106330602

Montessa

350056106370102 

Garfield

350706106390302 

West Bluff

350638106413702 

Sierra Vista

350910106414802 

Westgate

350244106450202 

EXPLANATION

Potentiometric contour, 2008—Shows altitude at which water level

 would have stood in tightly cased wells, estimated 2008, interval 

 20 feet. Dashed where inferred. Datum is the North American 

 Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88).

Well used to verify the groundwater-level change.

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) water-level measurement 

 (by steel tape or electric tape) in USGS piezometer, 2006–8.

Piezometer for which hydrograph is shown for period of record

 and USGS site identifier.

Not used in constructing the potentiometric surface: 

 USGS water-level measurement (by steel tape or electric tape) 

 in USGS piezometer, 2006–8.

USGS water-level measurement (by steel tape or 

 electric tape) in Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility 

 Authority supply well, 2006–8.

Not used in constructing the potentiometric surface: 

 USGS water-level measurement (by steel tape or electric tape) 

 in Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority supply 

 well, 2006–8.

Not used in constructing the potentiometric surface: 

 City of Rio Rancho water-level measurement (by airline) 

 in City of Rio Rancho supply well, 2008.

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) or Kirtland Air Force Base (KAFB) 

 water-level measurement (by steel tape or electric tape) 

 in SNL and KAFB piezometer.

Not used in constructing the potentiometric surface: 

 SNL or KAFB water-level measurement (by steel tape or 

 electric tape) in SNL and KAFB piezometer. 

KAFB water-level measurement (by airline) in KAFB supply well.

Not used in constructing the potentiometric surface: 

 KAFB water-level measurement (by airline) in KAFB supply well.

Piezometer used to determine the difference in water level 

 between the shallow aquifer and the production zone along 

 the Rio Grande.

Area of apparent hydraulic discontinuity, not near a known fault, 

 as identified by Bexfield and Anderholm (2000).

Basin-bounding fault in the area of a large hydraulic discontinuity, 

 as identified by Bexfield and Anderholm (2000).

Estimated water-level change, in feet, predevelopment to 2008. Approximate direction of groundwater flow.

 Areas underlying dashed contour are approximate.

No decline

Declines

0 to 20

21 to 40

41 to 60

61 to 80

81 to 100

101 to 120

More than 120

4,850

351515106410402

City of Rio Rancho water-level measurement (by airline) in City 

 of Rio Rancho supply well, 2008.

BERNALILLO COUNTY

SANDOVAL COUNTY

ALBUQUERQUE