ARTESIAN WELLS. 4l'l 



depends largely on porosity, bul also on evenness of texture, and its 

 influence upon the artesian flows of the Denver Basin may be gathered 

 from what has preceded in regard to the composition and distribution of 

 materials. It is not the same for all parts of a stratum, as is frequently 

 instanced in the wells of Denver, and it may vary to such a degree as to 

 completely Bhut off the flow in certain areas. The coarse sandstones and 

 conglomeratic layers have the greatesl power of transmission, and it is quite 

 possible, also, that they act, when tapped, as an inspirator or injector, 

 drawing water by greater freedom of flow from tin- less permeable strata 

 into their own general currenl which i- escaping by the artesian we]]-. 



CAPACITY OF THE STRATA, THEIB STIELD, AM) THE RAINFALL, CONSIDERED 



EEL \ I [VELY. 



It has n"t been possible t<> obtain data regarding the flows of the 



artesian well- 1,1' the Denver Basin within an interval •>(' time that would 

 permit determination of the total yield at a given instant. Furthermore, 

 the influence of wells upon one another is a marked feature in all parts of 



the central portion of the exploited area, that is, within and in the 



immediate vicinity of the city of Denver. Large original flows in certain 

 we]]- have seriously diminished upon tapping the same flow in a later well 

 sunk in a more favorable position. Upon the establishment of this fact, to 

 regulate tin- How- for mutual benefil and avoid waste, valves were applied 

 to mo-t of tin- wells. Again, Hows have diminished from mechanical 

 defects, either in sinking the well or in the packing employed, and such 

 diminution may have been either temporary or permanent. Finally, ill 

 arriving at the yield of tin- system, individual estimates have occasionally 

 been necessary, the parties drilling or owning the well-, having neglected 

 to record measurements. 



Had the original Hows of all tin- wells been maintained, including also 

 a few that from position or otherwise have always required pumping, with 

 the most careful determinations possible from the data at hand, the 

 maximum yield of the basin would not have fallen far shori of 10,000,000 

 gallons per day, or 3,650,000,000 gallons per year, an amount that is 

 only 21| per cent of the rainfall available for absorption by the strata 



