Drilling and Construction of Monitoring Wells – New Cuyama, Blue Sky Sustainable Living Center

Drilling and Construction of Monitoring Wells – New Cuyama, Blue Sky Sustainable Living Center

The Department of Water Resources Technical Support Services Program proposes to install three nested monitoring wells in a single borehole at the location described above. The Cuyama Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency (CBGSA) and its stakeholders require groundwater monitoring data, collected from the proposed wells. The project will correlate existing geophysical survey data with the subsurface conditions at the proposed Project site to increase subsurface knowledge of the groundwater basin. To accomplish this objective, an exploratory borehole would be drilled to approximately 600’ below ground surface (bgs) using a mud rotary drill rig. After conducting a geophysical survey in the borehole, three monitoring wells would be constructed. The depths of the completed monitoring wells would be dependent on drilling conditions, encountered lithology, and data from the geophysical survey; the estimated total depths of the proposed monitoring wells would be approximately 200' to 240' bgs, 360' to 400’ bgs, and 540’ to 580’ bgs. The proposed wells would be constructed within an area of about 250 ft2 on BSC private property south of CA-166. Construction would consist of three phases. The initial phase would last about one week and be mobilization and transporting of equipment and supplies from Signal Hill, CA to the proposed Project site via I-5 and CA-166. Phase 2 would be to drill and construct the monitoring wells. Phase 3 would entail development (cleaning) of each well. Overall, phases 2 and 3 would last approximately one month. Demobilization would take approximately one week to transport equipment and supplies back to Signal Hill, CA via CA-166, and I-5. During drilling and well construction, the borehole water and drilling fluid would be processed to separate the heavy particles (i.e. sand, silt, gravel) from the lighter materials (clay, water, and fluids). The fluid fraction would be pumped back into the hole through the drilling rods. The heavier particles and drilling cuttings would be placed in a one cubic yard metal hopper. Periodically, a forklift would empty the hopper into roll-off bins stored on-site. When full, the bins would be hauled to an appropriate non-hazardous waste facility outside of New Cuyama for disposal or re-use. The haul trucks would travel via CA-166 to I-5 to CA-41 to Fresno to dispose of the cuttings and water at Caglia Environmental. Alternatively, samples of drill cuttings would be collected and analyzed for any constituents of concern. Pending sample results and BSC permission, drill cuttings may be spread on the property, instead of being hauled to Caglia Environmental for disposal. Disposed drill cuttings would be expected to be clean and non-hazardous. The water used for the drilling operations would be siphoned from a private water standpipe on the property or from a municipal hydrant in New Cuyama, transferred into a water truck, and transported to the construction site. After the completion of the well construction phase, each well would be developed using industry standard methods, including bailing, surging-and-swabbing, and pumping. Initially, the development fluids from each well would be turbid, i.e. contain clay, silt, and sand particles. The turbidity of these fluids would progressively and rapidly decrease through continued development. Upon completion of the wells’ development, the group of nested wells would be enclosed within a riser monument cemented into the ground. The monument would rise approximately 3.5 feet above ground, be surrounded by bollards/crash posts painted yellow, be reflective, and have a lockable cover.

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