A lot has happened since last update for the Flat Canyon Test Well. The well was constructed to 1200 feet deep. It was cased to 610 feet and drilled open hole below that. There is louvered casing in the well from 430 feet deep to 610 feet deep. Water quality samples were taken before the well was deepened from 610 feet to 1200 feet. The water quality was good in this zone. Water quantity could not be determined because the well had to be drilled with drilling mud due to unstable formation (collapsing). Drilling mud was sealing off any water production, making it impossible to tell what quantity was available.
Then the well was deepened to 1200 feet in hopes of getting additional quantity of water. Water quantity coming from the bedrock between 610 feet and 1200 feet was approximately 50 too 100 gpm. However, the water temperature was 75 degrees, it smelled like sulfur, and had a moderately high mineral content (total dissolved solids or TDS). The water quality at depth did not seem desirable for use and the District did not want the poorer quality of water to affect the better quality water higher up, so the District abandoned the hole below 610 feet with cement. Good water quality remained or returned after abandoning the bedrock portion of the hole below 610 feet.
For the past several weeks off and on, the District has been attempting to develop the 610 foot deep well by attempting to remove drilling mud and other fines and collect them in a tank for removal. There have been several challenges and problems in doing this. Unfortunately, this development has been very slow to take place and appears to continue to be slow for the foreseeable future. I am crossing my fingers that more information can be learned from this test well in the near future. Many questions remain.
Thank you for your interest in this project. Please feel free to call me with any questions that you may have!
Carl Mackley, General Manager
435-723-7034