Print
Comment
Rate
Water study continues in Willcox Groundwater Basin
 |
| From left, state hydrologists Leslie Graser and Brian Conway are in the Willcox area through November taking measurements of the Willcox Groundwater Basin. (Carol Broeder/ARN) |
By Carol Broeder/Arizona Range News
No doubt, Willcox-area residents have seen them around town, and may be wondering what they're up to.
Two state hydrologists have been collecting gravity and GPS measurements throughout the entire Willcox Groundwater Basin, and plan to do so through November.
Leslie Graser said that since coming to Willcox she and Brian Conway have been asked questions about their equipment and what they are doing with it.
"One person asked us if it was a solar cooker," Graser told the Range News recently. "I told them, 'No. Unfortunately there isn't going to be a peach pie coming out of this.'"
The hydrologists are from the Geophysics/Surveying Unit with the Hydrology Division of the Arizona Department of Water Resources, using a survey grade GPS system and a relative gravimeter (gravity meter).
The silver device on the ground is the relative gravimeter, while the tall device is the survey grade GPS, said Supervisor Brian Conway with the Geophysics/Surveying Unit in Phoenix.
"We are attempting to take measurements at half-mile and one-mile increments (depending on their location to bedrock), along existing roads across the entire Willcox Groundwater Basin," Conway told the Range News.
"We will take a one minute gravity measurement and a 30 second GPS measurement at each location," he said.
The gravimeters are used to measure acceleration due to the earth's gravitational pull.
Gravity values will vary throughout the basin due to the thickness and geological composition of the basin, as well as the elevation of each gravity measurement.
That is why a survey grade GPS is used, measuring the elevation of each gravity measurement.
The gravity and GPS measurements are being collected so the hydrologists can develop a depth to bedrock model for the Willcox groundwater basin, which will then be used by ADWR to estimate the amount of groundwater in storage throughout the Willcox Basin.
The ADWR will not be the only group to benefit from this improved hydrologic knowledge of the Willcox groundwater basin.
Groups with a vested interest in the Willcox Basin include the City of Willcox, Cochise County, Willcox Playa Watershed Partnership, Willcox Water Forum, University of Arizona, and National Resources Conservation District.
The work being done by the ADWR coincides with a United States Geological Survey study that is investigating and improving the hydrologic monitoring within the Willcox and Douglas groundwater basins.
(Editor's Note: Information in this article was obtained from the Arizona Department of Water Resources.)
Two state hydrologists have been collecting gravity and GPS measurements throughout the entire Willcox Groundwater Basin, and plan to do so through November.
Leslie Graser said that since coming to Willcox she and Brian Conway have been asked questions about their equipment and what they are doing with it.
"One person asked us if it was a solar cooker," Graser told the Range News recently. "I told them, 'No. Unfortunately there isn't going to be a peach pie coming out of this.'"
The hydrologists are from the Geophysics/Surveying Unit with the Hydrology Division of the Arizona Department of Water Resources, using a survey grade GPS system and a relative gravimeter (gravity meter).
The silver device on the ground is the relative gravimeter, while the tall device is the survey grade GPS, said Supervisor Brian Conway with the Geophysics/Surveying Unit in Phoenix.
"We are attempting to take measurements at half-mile and one-mile increments (depending on their location to bedrock), along existing roads across the entire Willcox Groundwater Basin," Conway told the Range News.
"We will take a one minute gravity measurement and a 30 second GPS measurement at each location," he said.
The gravimeters are used to measure acceleration due to the earth's gravitational pull.
Gravity values will vary throughout the basin due to the thickness and geological composition of the basin, as well as the elevation of each gravity measurement.
That is why a survey grade GPS is used, measuring the elevation of each gravity measurement.
The gravity and GPS measurements are being collected so the hydrologists can develop a depth to bedrock model for the Willcox groundwater basin, which will then be used by ADWR to estimate the amount of groundwater in storage throughout the Willcox Basin.
The ADWR will not be the only group to benefit from this improved hydrologic knowledge of the Willcox groundwater basin.
Groups with a vested interest in the Willcox Basin include the City of Willcox, Cochise County, Willcox Playa Watershed Partnership, Willcox Water Forum, University of Arizona, and National Resources Conservation District.
The work being done by the ADWR coincides with a United States Geological Survey study that is investigating and improving the hydrologic monitoring within the Willcox and Douglas groundwater basins.
(Editor's Note: Information in this article was obtained from the Arizona Department of Water Resources.)
 |
 |
|
| Boyd pleads guilty to smuggling | Corrected ballots to be mailed to some county residents |
Article Rating
Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of willcoxrangenews.com.
