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seasonally high groundwater levels in deep zone wells South Tracy#1, Brown's#l,and Brown's New <br /> Well declined by up to about 60 feet and, although substantial recovery occurred in recent years, <br /> seasonally high water levels are currently lower than during the 1990's. These lower groundwater levels <br /> are likely due to an increased demand(pumpage)on the deep aquifer zone from local agricultural <br /> interests and industrial operators. For example,a number of deep wells are reported to have been <br /> installed in the area south and east of the Teichert Vernalis plant(Liese Schadt personal communication <br /> with P. Mercurio, Teichert, October 2002),and increased aggregate production in the early 2000s resulted <br /> in increased groundwater production. Further, reduced usage of local surface water supplies by local <br /> interests,which may have caused a corresponding increase in local groundwater pumpage, has been <br /> reported (Liese Schadt personal communication with J. Muller, Teichert, October 2002). <br /> Water levels in the South Tracy #I production well typically recovered to an elevation between 20 and 40 <br /> feet(msI)each tvinter until 2001 when increased pump operation made the measurement of static water <br /> levels difficult. Upon Teichert's initiative, plant staff have measured static and pumping water levels in <br /> the South Tracy #I well more frequently since late 2001, and these supplemental data are tabulated in <br /> Attachment 2. Water levels in the South Tracy #3 production well are also monitored at a higher <br /> frequency. However, the sounding of water levels below a depth of approximately 273 feet has not been <br /> successful due to an obstruction at this depth, likely due to a problem with the well's access port. As a <br /> result,any water levels below a depth of approximately 273 feet(i.e.,-28 feet, msl) erroneously appear as <br /> a constant water level on this well's hydrograph (see Figure 6 and the well's hydrograph in Attachment <br /> 1). <br /> The Petz irrigation well,which is located west of the Teichert Vemalis plant, is completed in both the <br /> shallow and deep zones of the underlying aquifer system, and its water level hydrograph reflects a <br /> composite of these shallow and deep zones(see Attachment 1). The early water level record of this well <br /> (prior to 2000)shows groundwater level elevations between those observed in the discussed shallow and <br /> deep wells in the area. Similarly, seasonal fluctuations prior to 2000 appear to be a composite of <br /> observations made in the shallow and deep network wells. Specifically,seasonally high water levels in <br /> this well rose from 72.46 to 86.58 feet(ms]) between March 1994 and 1998,with seasonal fluctuations of <br /> almost 15 feet. Since then, water levels have been very similar to those observed in the shallow network <br /> wells. <br /> Contours of equal groundwater elevations prepared with data from the shallow network wells show that <br /> the general direction of groundwater flow during times of seasonally high water levels was typically to <br /> the east-southeast and east. This includes the first monitoring event in spring 1994 with comparatively <br /> high water levels(Figure 7)and the period of the highest historically recorded groundwater elevations in <br /> spring 1998(Figure 8). The water level elevations in spring 2000 were relatively low compared to <br /> groundwater conditions observed in previous spring seasons, however, the predominant direction of flow <br /> was also to the east-southeast(Figure 9). In spring 2002, overall groundwater elevations were very <br /> similar to the spring 2000 elevations, but the groundwater flow direction was east-northeasterly as <br /> influenced by a relatively high groundwater level in the Koster irrigation well (Figure 10). <br /> Seasonal groundwater level fluctuations have been small in recent years and overall groundwater <br /> elevation differences across the monitored area have decreased(see Figure 5). This is exhibited by <br /> contours of equal groundwater elevation prepared for February 2010(Figure 11)and November 2010 <br /> (Figure 12). During these periods, a southeasterly direction of groundwater flow is indicated. The recent <br /> contours (including 2009 and 2010) represent conditions of the lowest water levels on record to date, <br /> following two consecutive critically dry years(2007 and 2008)and a year of below-normal precipitation <br /> (2009). <br /> ©LIH Pp I SCALMHNINI <br /> CONSULTING ENGINEERS 5 <br />