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as a result of the slurry wall. The Objectors argue that if the wall does reduce <br />well production, the Applicant must be prepared with remediation. <br />10. The Applicant's proposed slurry wall is designed to minimize impact on the <br />groundwater system and adjacent water rights. The wall is constructed by <br />excavating a trench into the bedrock beneath the gravel deposit and filling the <br />trench with a slurry mixture to Form a barrier that will impound water. <br />11. The Applicant hired a water resources engineer to conduct a groundwater <br />impact analysis. This analysis indicates that the proposed slurry wall will <br />cause minimal and isolated elevation changes to the regional groundwater <br />table. The wall is expected to cause an approximately one-foot variation in the <br />groundwater level on both the upgradient and downgradient sides of the pit. <br />There is only one well within six hundred feet of the proposed pit. The <br />Applicant's water resources engineer testified that, in his opinion, this wall <br />would not impact that well, or any of the other wells in the vicinity. <br />12. The Applicant concedes that the slurry wall could fail. However, the <br />Applicant has substantial experience constructing slurry walls and none has <br />failed to date. <br />13. The Applicant cannot excavate to a depth that would affect groundwater until <br />it has measures in place to protect existing water rights. The Applicant has <br />applied with the State Engineer's Office for a temporary substitute water <br />supply plan and a well permit. If the slurry wall adversely affects neighboring <br />wells, these measures will compensate the well owners for their loss. <br />3 <br />