C150094 Red Mesa Aquifer Groundwater Study 2002

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Red Mesa Aquifer Groundwater Study — Interim Report 2002 WWE recommends that: 1.) The well monitoring program be extended through June 2003. Continued well monitoring will help refine the understanding of groundwater movement in the aquifer during very low water table conditions. With record-breaking drought occurring during the irrigation season of 2002, followed by dry conditions the previous two years, the water table should drop substantially. Additional monitoring will help to determine aquifer behavior during this dry period. 2.) Additional pumping tests or slug tests be performed on wells to better determine hydraulic conductivity and porosity values. More extensive pumping tests will help to refine Darcian calculations used to determine travel times. It is recommended that pumping tests be conducted on wells not used domestically. The best candidates are wells that have easy access to the well casings. Ideally two wells — one for pumping and one for observation—within several hundred feet of each other would provide the best data. 3.) The use of groundwater tracers introduced to wells at various locations should be considered to help determine direction and timing of subsurface water flow. Analysis of tracer concentrations at drainages where groundwater resurfaces will provide more reliable travel times and associated aquifer parameters. Because hydraulic conductivity can vary from region to region, WWE suggests that consideration be give for three to four tracer tests to be performed throughout the study area. Appendix C (Factors to Consider in Tracer Selection) and Appendix D (Analytical Methods for the Detection of Tracers) outline the procedure to be followed. Other publications and expertise of WWE staff will assist in executing the proposed investigation. 991-077/031 Wright Water Engineers, Inc. Page 15 Interim Report