Laserfiche WebLink
Groundwater Monitoring Well Construction Workplan <br /> August 2023 <br /> Monitoring Well Design Justification <br /> Four-level nested monitoring wells will be constructed at this drill site. The levels (depths) of the <br /> screen intervals were selected to provide groundwater levels above and below the Corcoran Clay, <br /> groundwater use in the area,potential differences in water quality, and to assess whether the <br /> groundwater pumping is raising the base of fresh water. These monitoring wells (four-levels) <br /> will also better characterize groundwater conditions by establishing groundwater outflow <br /> gradients from or to the Northern Delta-Mendonta Subbasin into the TSb. The lithologic <br /> information will also help to confirm/support Airborne Elecromagnetic (commonly know as <br /> AEM) survey findings. Figure 8 shows the preliminary monitoring well designs. <br /> The monitoring wells screen locations were developed based on the depth and thickness of the <br /> Corcoran Clay and the base of fresh water. Corcoran Clay is present beneath the drill site. <br /> Figure 3 shows the extent and structure of the Corcoran Clay based on geologic profiles and <br /> geophysical logs as well as USGS datasets in the Subbasin (Page 1968). The top of the clay is <br /> about 230 feet bgs and is about 80 feet thick at the proposed monitoring well location. The base <br /> of fresh water is at elevation -1,200 feet amsl or about 1,400 feet bgs (refer to Figure 4). <br /> The shallowest monitoring well (named MW-203A) will be constructed in the Upper Aquifer, <br /> above the Corcoran Clay. Aquifers above the Corcoran Clay are used by domestic wells that are <br /> constructed to depths of 30 to 150 feet bgs. Some irrigation wells also use this aquifer. This <br /> monitoring well will be used to monitor groundwater levels in the Upper Aquifer to track <br /> changes and inform the GSAs if lowering of groundwaters could affect these domestic well <br /> owners. <br /> Three monitoring wells (named MW-203B, C, D) will be screened below the Corcoran Clay. <br /> The screens for MW-203B will be positioned just below the Corcoran Clay, 390 to 410 feet bgs <br /> where low salinity groundwater may be present, based on other occurrences in the Subbasin. <br /> MW-203C screens will be positioned about half-way between the bottom of the Corcoran Clay <br /> and the base of fresh water, about 710 to 740 feet bgs. Both MW-203B and MW-203C will be <br /> positioned to track groundwater level changes and inform the GSAs if lowering of groundwaters <br /> could affect agricultural well owners whose wells depths range from 277 to 800 feet bgs. <br /> The screens of MW-203D,the deepest monitoring well,will be positioned in the first aquifer <br /> above the base of fresh water to detect changes in groundwater levels and salinity and to evaluate <br /> whether pumping may be causing upwelling of saline water from the underlying marine <br /> sediments. <br /> MW-203A through D will be outfitted with transducers and telemetry to measure groundwater <br /> levels. The measurements will be reported to DWR's Monitoring Network Module. Water <br /> quality samples may be collected from the monitoring wells, but a schedule has yet to be <br /> established. <br /> GEI Consultants, Inc. 15 <br />