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THE DENVER BASIN PROJECT
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 is providing 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 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. Also check out
related lectures and classes, which provide more background on
the Denver Basin Project and its findings.
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
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