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<br />. :... .0 _ <br /> <br />0212:49 <br /> <br />EXECUTIVE SUMMARY <br /> <br />:~:.:~::~:.=::':.:,~8"~;:W~::~:~;:::M::;~:~::=:~;::::~~'~::;:':~::;:;a.::::~>~::~<::':::;:::::-:.:.~:,~:;;:.:~::;,i::.:;:';;::~~:;:;::'::-::=:;:.::;"::<~:;::;:;:::~::::;:;:.,;:::::,,:,,:~.:":,:,:~,<;.<::;:,,}~::<::.:.::::.::::::=:::::~::<~:;:;,;:~~:::::::;(.::"::-::=:::;:~:.;.:~::::,:=:::::,:;;:'::::;:,,,,:::;::~::::;>~;::,~::::::;::::;:':;:.:".;:~,,:=::::;:~:;:::~:,:,: <br /> <br />INFILTRATION GALLERY EXPANSION ALTERNATIVE <br /> <br />Another alternative available to the City and Mt. Werner is the Infiltration Gallery Expansion. The <br />City and Mt. Werner have both constructed infiltration galleries (also known as well fields) to <br />augment the water supplied from the Fish Creek basin. The main purpose of the infiltration <br />galleries is to provide a point of redundancy to the primary Fish Creek water supply. The galleries <br />are also utilized as a supplemental supply during peak water demands. <br /> <br />There have been water quality concerns associated with the use of the infiltration galleries. The <br />alluvial groundwater of the Yampa River Basin has a high mineral content and is higher in alkalinity, <br />hardness, and dissolved solids than the Fish Creek source. Additionally, the alluvial groundwater <br />has relatively high concentrations of iron and manganese and has exceeded secondary drinking water <br />standards. While iron and manganese are not suspected to cause any health problems, they are <br />known to create aesthetic impacts such as objectionable taste and odor; staining of fixtures; and pool <br />discoloration. <br /> <br />Under the Infiltration Gallery Expansion Alternative, the City and Mt. Werner would expand the <br />galleries and pump water from this system into the service area. A second water filtration plant (in <br />addition to the existing Fish Creek Filtration Plant) would be constructed at the infiltration gallery <br />site and the City and Mt. Werner would have to operate tWO separately located facilities. <br /> <br />Environmental Consequences of the Infiltration Gallery Expansion <br /> <br />Environmental consequences associated with the expansion of the infiltration galleries include the <br />following: <br /> <br />. Inferior water quality provided to a portion of the community <br /> <br />. Loss of a redundant (back-up) water source <br /> <br />. Impact to approximately 3 acres of wetlands <br /> <br />. Impact to high value riparian area and disturbance to heron rookery in the Yampa <br />Valley <br /> <br />. A long-term fisheries pool at the existing reservoir may not be possible <br /> <br />. Long-term in-stream flow augmentation in lower Fish Creek may nOt be possible <br /> <br />. The need to construct, operate, and maintain a second water filtration plant <br /> <br />. The need to construct, operate and maintain additional water distribution facilities <br /> <br />. Greater operation and maintenance (O&M) costs (resulting in higher Water rates) <br />associated with additional treatment and pumping <br /> <br />. Higher power requirements for pumping (resulting in increased utilization of non- <br />renewable energy resources and increased air pollution) <br /> <br />. Modernization and upgrade of the Fish Creek Reservoir would not occur <br /> <br />,~~~,:{(~,:,~::<,~,"..:{.'.W:'h.,>.'!.-:ill(1X.:'X:=:>M-:.Z,:>.~;,l;"h.y....,,;,'.'.-:.;>:;;,~:,;~,'.'.~-:-;..;<::,.;-;-;~:;~~:y,.'.,,,~\,~,....,;:;,Y..5",~~..~m"'~;::;~;:;:"Y~"Y'\~;>;-;\l'N,':',.;;:,~~::~.:,~~;.";.-.,;;:.,,~..;;m;.,.,"}:~.\;.""z::;>"},w.-><;.""";';:;:>..:..;~,,?l.'='.:z:..;<i>;.~;.':<<'.@.'!~.~,t,'.~'='~;>>. <br /> <br />September 1993 <br /> <br />Page S-lI <br />