The Colorado River as it leaves the state Water February 7, 2023 Colorado Water Plan 2023 “Water is the lifeblood of our state, and we are taking strong actions to protect Colorado’s water for generations to come. As climate change places increased strain on Colorado’s precious water resources, we are taking a forward-thinking and innovative approach to ensure that all Colorado’s communities, farmers, and ranchers can…
Pyrite Geology, Hazards, Publications, Water July 21, 2022 Case Study: NARD Are pristine mountain waters always clean and pure? Can streams unaffected by human activities and livestock influences be unfit for human consumption, or for aquatic life? The existence of natural acid rock drainage (NARD) suggests a “no” to the former, and a “yes” to the latter question. But…
Pierre Shale (gray) exposed along St. Vrain Creek in Weld County General, Geology, Publications March 16, 2022 Recent reports published OF-20-11 Alkaline Complexes of the Wet Mountains Area, Colorado: A Geological Summary, Bibliography, and Data Compilation of Critical Mineral Laboratory Results — With renewed interest in critical minerals driven by global demand and consequent shortages, the CGS funded a compilation of historical sample results and a…
Check dams along drainage ditch Hazards, Water January 14, 2022 Case Study: stormwater Stormwater runoff is excess water associated with a rain or snow storm event that flows over the land surface and is measurable in a downstream river, stream, ditch, gutter, or pipe. From a regulatory perspective, stormwater is managed through some sort of engineered conveyance and is focused…
MS-51 Interpretive Geothermal Gradient Map of Colorado (detail)|Onsite rig drilling for a geothermal heating/cooling or "heat pump" system in Fort Collins Energy, Geology November 19, 2021 Case Study: geothermal gradient The CGS has long been involved in researching the characteristics of geothermal energy across the state, publishing more than 30 reports on various aspects of this important renewable resource. In that regard we thought we would re-introduce some of that research and how it is accomplished. One…
The Arikaree River at Beecher Island in Yuma County Publications, Water June 7, 2020 New Colorado Groundwater Atlas released ON-010 Colorado Groundwater Atlas
A uranium-rich zone in a sandstone of the Morrison Formation, Carnation Mine, San Miguel County, CO, January 2007. Photo credit: Chris Carroll (CGS). Energy, Minerals February 19, 2020 Colorado’s Uranium Deposits [Ed: this document, written in 2011 by Jim Burnell, Ph.D., P.G. (former Senior Minerals Geologist, Colorado Geological Survey), provides an excellent narrative on the sources of uranium deposits on the Western Slope of Colorado. However, it’s not the whole story—there is fascinating new science research implicating biological/organismic activity underground that…
Mount Garfield from Interstate-70 General January 10, 2020 Welcome to the final CGS/RockTalk web iteration If you want to find out what's happening with the new CGS site, read here! Apologies for the incompleteness, it will improve on a daily basis, we promise!
Water Resources Investigation WRI 2017-1a Geology, Water November 15, 2017 A new Water Resources Investigation: Upper Pierre Aquifer Our friends over at the Colorado Division of Water Resources (CDWR) have just released Water Resources Investigation WRI 2017-1a, The Upper Pierre Aquifer of the Cheyenne Basin, Northeastern Colorado, Geologic Cross Sections, authored by Ralf Topper, Clinton D. Meyer, Marshall Haworth, Kevin C. Donegan, Hillary Banks,…
Hazards March 13, 2013 The Science of Sinkholes This video, from the U.S. Geological Survey, explores the geological factors behind sinkholes and the related science. Narrated by Randall Orndorff, the Director of the USGS Eastern Geology and Paleoclimate Science Center.