D enver Basi n Grou n dwat e r D ev e l op m e n t Colorado Scientific Society members researched
funds from the Department of the Interior.
The fabulous artesian pressures from
and documented the artesian wells of Denver
In 1873, this study became known as the
these wells were put to many innovative
as early as 1884. According to historical ac-
United States Geological and Geographi-
uses. They helped produce the decorative
counts, R. R. McCormick was boring for
cal Survey of the Territories, or the “Hayden
fountains at Union Station, provided a pow-
coal in a ravine by St. Luke’s Hospital in
Survey.” His work showed artesian ground-
er assist for the elevators at the Brown Pal-
north Denver, when he struck the first arte-
water to be common along the western
ace Hotel, and operated the organ bellows
sian water. Due to its purity and superiority
edge of the Denver Basin from the towns
at the Trinity Methodist Church. By 1895,
over the water furnished from the South
of Marshall (near Boulder) to Sedalia, in
nearly 400 wells had been drilled in the vi-
Platte River by the Denver Water Company,
areas well known for their tilted sandstone
cinity of Denver and surrounding areas.
his discovery soon led to more interest in
outcrops. The outcrops measured 200 to
But they soon began to play out. By
widespread groundwater development.
600 feet higher than the City of Denver, and
the mid-1890s considerable pressure
Much discussion ensued in the scien-
were thought to be areas of aquifer recharge
losses had already been observed in the
tific and business community about the
whose elevation could account for the pres-
city wells and official investigations began
potential source of this gushing water.
sure in the artesian wells of Denver.
as to its cause. To some, this free-flowing
Many thought the water was derived from
By 1890, numerous artesian wells
water was being wasted by extravagance
seepage from reservoirs nearby, but other
had been drilled in the area. At the
and ignorance, and there was talk of new,
scientists correctly asserted this water was
lowest elevations in the basin, artesian
special legislation to prevent its waste.
artesian–emanating from deep sandstone
pressure pushed water more than 100
However, it would not be until the 1950s
layers under considerable pressure.
feet above the ground. Two main wa-
that new technology, population growth
The geology of the countryside around
ter-bearing sandstone layers had been
and drought would combine to push the
Denver was first described and mapped
identified at depths of 375 and 600 feet
state’s first set of extensive groundwater
by Ferdinand V. Hayden in the 1870’s with
in downtown Denver.
regulations into place.
Confined or Artesian Aquifers
The term water level ( ) is used in this document in reference to a completed well, whether it is the water table of an unconfined aquifer or the artesian head of a confined aquifer.
Confined or artesian aquifers are completely saturated geo-
hundred feet higher in elevation than most of the basin. Over
logic units in which the water is under pressure (artesian
most of the basin, the Denver, Arapahoe, and Laramie-Fox Hills
head) as a result of an overlying low permeability confining
aquifers are confined such that water levels in wells rise above
layer that prevents the free movement of air and water. As the
the top of the aquifer. The water produced from wells drawing
early geologists surmised, the Denver Basin aquifers were un-
on the artesian head represents a very small amount of the total
der artesian pressure because the recharge areas were several
water in storage as the aquifer is not being physically drained.
Citizen’s Guide to Denver Basin Groundwater
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