Water Works 20 - 4/1/03

1-Full Impact of Well Tests Not Presented at Public Hearing

( Excerpts from Fellow Correspondent’s letter, continued. )

Projection of Drawdown Caused by QVF-3.

This section (i) initially discusses the needed volume of water. However, the later portions of the section project long term impacts that will be caused by the operation of QVF-3 on each well. The figures in Appendix C of the NJGS report present these long term pumping levels. Drawdown in most of these plots stabilizes after a very short time and then remains flat.

Problem! The model assumes an unlimited source of recharge water for vertical leakage from the shallow soil zone and/or Lockatong Creek. The test data do not support this assumption. The wells outside the Lockatong Creek area show permanent dewatering effects after just 96 hours. If the proposed well were far down the basin, where some induced infiltration of water from Lockatong Creek would not impact stream flow, the assumption of an unlimited source of shallow water might be justified. This assumption cannot be justified in the headwaters of the basin. The NJGS has not shown the unlimited source of water from the shallow soil zone or stream that will support this well. This application cannot be approved until that source of water is identified.

The water level impacts presented in Table 3 (which in some cases are very large) seriously underestimate long term effects. The Demicco well is a perfect case in point. It does not even appear in the table, as the NJGS does not believe the well will be impacted. Measurements indicate the loss of a few feet of water level every year even with QVF limited to 3.1 mgm (see previous March 11 letter). Table 3 is based on the interpretation that water levels stabilize quickly from vertical leakage, and that an unlimited source of recharge is available. Table 3 must be re-evaluated.

The last paragraph of that section is very significant. In general, the peak horticultural need at Quaker Valley Farms will coincide with depressed groundwater levels associated with the natural seasonal cycle. Therefore water levels during the summer months are expected to be at least 10 to 15 feet lower than the drawdown projected in Table 3.

Why didn’t the NJGS and the NJDEP present the full impact on water levels in the Aquifer Test Report and the Summary Fact Sheet at the public hearing?