The Denver Museum of Nature and Science (DMNS) and the United States Geological Survey (USGS) are conducting research on a 2,200-foot, 2.5-inch-diameter core, which was recently "dug up" from the Denver Basin. In the first part of this multiyear project in our own backyard, area researchers searched for information on our geologic past on the Elbert County Fairgrounds in Kiowa, Colorado, which you were able to follow right here on our Web site!

The DMNS provided updates on the progress made by researchers Kirk Johnson and Bob Raynolds as they drilled deep into the ground and reported on the geology they found there. In cooperation with several local, state, and government agencies, the Museum and the USGS are developing a model of the paleobiological, geological, and hydrological framework for the Upper Cretaceous and Lower Tertiary rocks of the Denver Basin.

The study, which will be based on a multitude of surface observations as well as the fossil sites tied to the core, will provide information on dinosaur extinction and fossil rainforests. By studying the bedrock aquifers that provide water for one of the fastest growing urban areas in the country, researchers will be able to provide much needed data about our local water supply and quality.

Stay tuned to this site for updates on the progress made in each of these scientific disciplines.

A big thanks to the following cooperating organizations
(principal funding sources*)

*National Science Foundation
*U. S. Geological Survey, Division of Water Resources
U. S. Geological Survey, Geologic Division
*Colorado Water Conservation Board
*Colorado State Engineer
Colorado Geological Survey
Colorado Division of Water Resources
*Colorado State University
Colorado State University Extension Office in Kiowa
Elbert County Water Advisory Board
Elbert County Commissioners
*Prima Energy