New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources involvement in the USGS STATEMAP program
Paul Bauer, New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources, Socorro, NM 87801, (575) 835-5106, bauer@mailhost.nmt.edu.
Vast areas of New Mexico have yet to be mapped in detail. For purposes of the people of New Mexico and the national 1:100,000 geologic map database, the most critical unmapped areas are the populated areas of the Rio Grande corridor. Most of this corridor is of vital economic, social, and scientific welfare for the state. The most immediate challenge to cities along the corridor relate to water. A combination of rapid population growth, permeable alluvial aquifers, large topographic relief, and the alternating scarcity and abundance of meteoric water gives rise to a host of hydrogeologic and engineering geologic problems. The Albuquerque, Espanola, and San Luis basins and adjacent uplifts have become the focus of geologic and hydrogeologic interest by local, state, tribal, and federal officials due to concern over the quality of groundwater for an expanding population. Understandings of watersheds and basin-fill stratigraphy are critical for ensuring potable water for the future, and for mitigating contamination of aquifers. Understanding of surficial deposits provides critical data on flood-prone zones, areas subject to mass wasting, and soil and sediment parameters that influence construction plans and land management. Geologic structures also control groundwater flow; in particular, the hydrogeologic significance of both rift-related normal faults and transverse fault zones is uncertain.
During the first 5 years of the STATEMAP program, the NMBGMR will have received $442,751 in matching-funds grants to produce detailed geologic maps of 26 7.5-min quadrangles along the Rio Grande watershed between Albuquerque and Taos. The quadrangles are: 1993-Tijeras; 1994-Albuquerque East, Sandia Crest, Placitas; 1995-Sandia Park, Hubbell Spring, McClure Reservoir; 1996-Mount Washington, Sky Village SE, Alameda, Isleta, Taos SW, Glorieta, Santo Domingo Pueblo, Jemez Pueblo; 1997-Albuquerque West, Bernalillo, Santo Domingo Pueblo SW, San Ysidro, Loma Creston, San Felipe Pueblo NE, Seton Village, Sedillo, Bosque Peak, Carson, Dalies.
These quadrangles were selected based on their potential to provide high-quality earth science data to potential users, with the highest rankings in areas that combine compelling socioeconomic needs with basic scientific problems. The important societal needs that we have identified along the Rio Grande watershed are environmental (groundwater and surface water supply, availability, and quality; geologic hazards such as flooding, hydrocompaction, and slope stability), earth resources (metallic minerals, industrial minerals, aggregate, rock resources), land use planning (landform dynamics, soil properties, water rights, etc.), and transportation. Several of the quadrangles also contain rocks (Proterozoic to Cenozoic in age) which are the focus of topical, ongoing investigations in rock and mineral resources, structural geology, stratigraphy and sedimentology, basin evolution, and tectonics. An additional component of evaluating societal need is the potential for beneficial use of a map by government bodies (state, county, tribal, local) and private organizations (environmental, planners, developers, citizens groups). The NMBGMR has actively cultivated working relationships with numerous such groups, all of which have expressed a need for detailed geologic maps. The NMBGMR and the State Geologic Mapping Advisory Board, which consists of 25 members from federal, state, county, municipal, tribal, and private agencies, is responsible for ranking mapping proposals in New Mexico.
Due to the geologic complexity of most areas, we typically take a multidisciplinary approach to mapping, which utilizes a number of specialists from the NMBGMR, New Mexico Tech, UNM, and independent mappers for various aspects of the project. We work closely with USGS Geologic Division personnel involved in the Middle Rio Grande Basin Project, and expect nearly all of our maps to be used in the USGS 1:100,000 compilation of the Albuquerque Basin.
Our objective is to produce digital, detailed geologic maps (1:24,000),
with accompanying explanation of units, cross sections, stratigraphic
sections, and explanatory texts. In each quadrangle, the work will emphasize
both bedrock lithologies and structures, and surficial basin- and arroyo-valley-fill
deposits and their importance to groundwater resources. All quads are
released as open-file reports at the end of the contract year, and many
of the maps will be digitized and released as color geologic maps. To
date, our STATEMAP geologic maps are of excellent quality, were all completed
on schedule and within budget, and are available as open-file reports.
New Mexico Bureau of Geology & Mineral Resources
New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology
801 Leroy Place
Socorro, NM 87801-4796
information: (575) 835-5420
fax: (575) 835-6333
http://geoinfo.nmt.edu
The New Mexico Bureau of Geology & Mineral Resources is a research and service division of:
