New Mexico Administrative Code › Title 19 - NATURAL RESOURCES AND WILDLIFE › Chapter 27 - UNDERGROUND WATER › Part 4 - WELL DRILLER LICENSING; CONSTRUCTION, REPAIR AND PLUGGING OF WELLS › Section 19.27.4.7 - DEFINITIONS

Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 13, July 16, 2024
Unless defined below or in a specific section of these
				  rules, all other words used herein shall be given their customary and accepted
				  meaning.
A.
Aquifer:
A
				geologic formation, group of formations, or part of a formation that contains
				sufficient saturated permeable material to yield significant quantities of
				water to wells.
B.
Artesian
				well:
A well that penetrates a saturated hydrogeologic unit and allows
				underground water to rise or move appreciably into another hydrogeologic unit,
				or allows underground water to rise to freely flow at the ground surface. For
				regulatory purposes, the determination of whether a well or borehole is
				artesian shall be made by the state engineer, taking into consideration the
				potential for loss of water at the ground surface or into another hydrogeologic
				unit.
C.
Drill rig:
Any power-driven percussion, rotary, boring, coring, digging, jetting, or
				augering machine used in the construction of a well or borehole.
D.
Drill rig supervisor:
A drill
				rig operator working under the direct supervision of a well driller, to whom
				the well driller assigns responsible charge of regulated well drilling
				activities using equipment that is under the direct control of the well
				driller, and who is registered with the office of the state engineer to perform
				such responsibilities.
E.
Drilling:
See definition for well drilling.
F.
Ground source heat pump:
A
				heat pump that uses the earth itself as a heat source and heat sink. It is
				coupled to the ground by means of a closed-loop heat exchanger (ground coil)
				installed horizontally or vertically underground. Also termed on-site
				geo-exchange heat pump and earth - or ground - coupled heat pump.
G.
Hydrogeologic unit:
Any soil
				or rock unit or zone which by virtue of its porosity or permeability, or lack
				thereof, has a distinct influence on the storage or movement of
				groundwater.
H.
Inter-aquifer
				exchange:
The movement of groundwater that flows appreciably between
				hydrogeologic units.
I.
Mine
				drill hole:
A borehole to explore for or delineate deposits or
				accumulations of ore, mineral, or rock resources.
J.
Repair:
Changing some part of
				an existing well by deepening, hydrofracturing, re-casing, perforating,
				re-perforating, installing packers or seals, and any other material change in
				the existing well design or construction. Material changes include but are not
				limited to casing installation or modification including casing extensions,
				installation or modification of liner pipe, reaming or under reaming of the
				borehole, pitless unit installation on an artesian well that flows (or capable
				of flowing) at ground surface, or any other work requiring a permit from the
				state engineer to repair and deepen the well.
K.
Well:
A borehole, cased,
				uncased or screened, or other hydraulic structure that is drilled, driven, or
				dug, vertically, horizontally, or at an angle, that penetrates, is intended to
				penetrate, or otherwise affects the water stored in a saturated hydrogeologic
				unit. The intended use may be: water supply; monitoring water levels or water
				quality; exploratory purposes; water remediation; injection of water, both into
				saturated and unsaturated zones; dewatering purposes; ground source heat pump
				purposes, or for other purposes.
L.
Well driller:
A person subject to the licensing requirements of
				72-12-12 through 72-12-17 NMSA 1978 and 19.27.4 NMAC.
M.
Well drilling, well drilling
				activities:
The activities associated with the drilling of a well,
				including, but not limited to, the construction, drilling, completion, repair,
				deepening, cleaning, and plugging of a well.