Laserfiche WebLink
Nestl6 USA, Inc., Ripon, California March 26, 2014 <br /> 2013 Annual Report <br /> The following are key observations regarding river stage and its influence on groundwater flow: <br /> • River stage follows the typical timing pattern for dam release flow. River stage during <br /> the spring release flow was relatively high, but occurred over a shorter duration than <br /> usual, likely related to extreme drought conditions in the region in 2013. <br /> • All four groundwater monitoring events occurred when the river was at or near normal <br /> low flow (elevation of approximately 40 feet). As reflected in the potentiometric surface <br /> maps for the Upper and Intermediate aquifers (Figure 3-1 through Figure 3-4, and <br /> Figure 4-1 through Figure 4-4), the regional groundwater flow direction appears to be <br /> towards the north-northwest and the horizontal gradient is relatively low, typical of low <br /> river stage conditions. <br /> 2.2.3 INFLUENCE OF PUMPING <br /> A pumping well causes localized depressions in the potentiometric surface of the aquifer <br /> penetrated by the well screen (or open interval). The most influential pumping wells on <br /> groundwater flow in the Study Area are the City of Ripon municipal supply wells. Table 2 <br /> presents a summary of monthly production volumes for the municipal wells. Although daily <br /> production in each municipal well typically varies in a given month, the amount of drawdown and <br /> the size of the cone of depression in the potentiometric surface are generally proportional to the <br /> monthly production volume for each well. <br /> The following is a summary of observations regarding the pumping wells in the Study Area <br /> affecting the Upper, Intermediate, and Lower aquifers (Figure 3-1 through Figure 5-4) during <br /> the 2013 monitoring period: <br /> • IRAP wells EI-1, EU-3, and EU-4 pumped continuously (with minor interruptions) in <br /> 2013, which resulted in a localized depression in the potentiometric surface in the Upper <br /> Aquifer at the Site (Figure 3-1 through Figure 3-4). <br /> • City of Ripon municipal wells operated with variable pumping schedules and pumping <br /> rates in 2013. MW-3 penetrates the Intermediate Aquifer; MW-5 penetrates the Upper, <br /> Intermediate, and Lower aquifers; and MW-10 penetrates the Intermediate and Lower <br /> aquifers. Localized lower water levels were observed during the 2013 Second, Third, <br /> and Fourth Quarter gauging events at well MW-5, and during the 2013 Third and Fourth <br /> Quarter gauging events at wells MW-3 and MW-10. Pumping rates for the City of Ripon <br /> Production wells for the day of water level monitoring are presented with the quarterly <br /> gauging data (Appendix E of this document and Appendix A of each of the quarterly <br /> Site Status reports). <br /> • The absence of depressed groundwater levels in First and Second Quarters 2013 at <br /> wells MW-3 and MW-10 and in First Quarter 2013 at well MW-5 indicates that the wells <br /> either did not pump at high enough rates or did not pump at all to influence the <br /> potentiometric surface at the time of the monitoring events. This absence of depressed <br /> groundwater levels is also the case for municipal wells MW-7, MW-9, and MW-11, since <br /> the pumping rates for these wells were zero or low throughout 2013 (Table 2). <br /> 6 <br />