WWRC 83-06
Fault Severing of Aquifers and Other Geologically Controlled Permeability Contrasts in the Basin-Mountain Interface, and the Implications for Ground Water Recharge to and Development from the Major Artesian Basins of Wyoming
Abstract
The mountain uplifts which border the major artesian basins of Wyoming
are asymmetric antiforms bounded on one flank by large displacement
Laramide thrust faults. These thrusts sever the hydraulic continuity of
the Paleozoic aquifers, thereby creating separate circulation systems in
the Paleozoic rocks respectively in the hanging wall and foot wall blocks.
Fault severing can be identified by (1) potentiometric discontinuities
across the faults, (2) water quality contrasts across the faults, and (3)
thermally heated waters in the foot wall blocks.
Isolated but active circulation systems develop in the hanging wall blocks
in which good permeabilities and good quality water prevail. In contrast
the foot walls are characterized by poor permeabilities and poor water
qualities. The result is that exploration for large volume, good quality
supplies is focused on the handing wall blocks in fault severed environ-
ments. Fault severing of the Paleozoic aquifers in the Wyoming foreland
province is significant because just under half of the basin perimeters are
severed.
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