wells in an attempt to find available water of adequate quantity and quality to meet the demands of customers. (Left) Peter Kampa, General Manager Lake Don Pedro Community Services District answers a question from the public during a Drought Emergency meeting held on March 9, 2015 at the Don Pedro High School in Mariposa County.
In the event that the water level of Lake McClure drops below emergency pumps, we could use the available well water to supply fresh water to the community. However, it takes much more than simply drilling until you hit water to be successful. Once a well hole is drilled, state requirements have us do extensive testing of the water for contaminants and to determine how much water the well will produce safely. During our recent testing of the two wells at El Predo Park, the water contained high levels of salt, and the more these wells were pumped, the less they produced. So, after 10 days of pumping, the wells still produced salty water, and produced only a small number of gallons per minute.
Since we are unable to use those two wells, we moved on to our next well drilling location on the seventeen acre property recently purchased by district. During the week of August 10th, we completed the second of two holes on that property, on the end of Zarzamora Court. Both newly drilled wells initially produced significant amount of water. We are currently in the process of testing this wells’ water quality. Pump testing at least one of these wells will begin on August 24, and last for a period of fourteen days. We are very hopeful that the new well, currently named Well 5, will be a significant water producer, so that when combined with the other two wells currently being constructed, will provide enough water into the LDPCSD water system to meet the water demands of the community even if Lake McClure is empty!
The staff and Board at the Lake Don Pedro District hope that you’re enjoying the final few weeks of summer. Stay cool, well hydrated, and find ease in the subtle shifting between seasons. We are grateful for your participation and support. The community is our first priority, and we are doing everything in our power to ensure that your water supply remains clean, consistent, and abundant in the thick of the drought!
