Eldorado Area Water and Sanitation District

1 Hacienda Loop, Santa Fe, NM 87508, 505-466-2411


Operations Report for 15 July 08

 

Download report: Operations Report 15 July 2008

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WELL REPORT:

EAWSD Production Well Capacity and Expected Summer Demand
Previous to recent pumping of new Well #17, most of the available wells were pumped continuously at 100% of the time, which is not good practice and has permanent long-term negative effects on the older wells. Desirable operation is to manage pumping at typical cycles of approximately 60% 'on' and 40% 'off', to allow rest and recovery of the wells and local, surrounding aquifers. Current well production capacities with temporary operation of Well #17 are:


CURRENTLY

MAXIMUM  CAPACITY, kgal/day*

MANAGED CAPACITY, kgal/day*

Available Wells

With Well #17 and Available wells

With Well #17 and Available wells

 

wells operating continuously

operated at ~60% of time with ~40%

 

at 100% of time, i.e.CONTINOUS.

allowed for rest and recovery.

#15

~310

~190

#14

~170

~105

#9

~150

~95

#2

~110

~70

#6

~42

~30

#7

~36

~25

#8

~36

~25

#12

~15

~10

#4

~6

~5

#17

~165

~105

Subtotal

10 Wells = ~1,040 kgal/day

10 Wells = ~660 kgal/day

#1

To ~43 kgal/day.Off-line for repairs.

Off-line for repairs.

#10

At water rights limit-no more pumping in `08

At water right limit.

#13

To 20-40 kgal/day. Interferes with Well #14.

Off-line - interferes with Well #14.

#3

Not producing - older well.

Not producing - older well.

#5

Not producing - older well.

Not producing - older well.

TOTAL

15 Wells = ~1,040 kgal/day

15 Wells = ~660 kgal/day

"~"= Approximately; kgal/day= thousands of gallons per day.

    J. L. Cooper, 6/19/08

* Production will be slightly higher when wells are allowed to rest and recover.

 

PROJECTED DEMAND for the Summer, based on past four years’data:


MONTH

Average (Mean of

Projected HIGH

Projected PEAK

 

Past 4 Years), kgal/day

 Demand Day, kgal/day

Demand Day, kgal/day

May

588

~650

~700

June

697

~800

~900

July

673

~750

~1,000

August

628

~700

~1,000

September

583

~650

~850

 

 

 

J. L. Cooper, 6/3/08

 

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Well #14 was put online on Tuesday and is currently pumping 117 Gal/min.

CURRENT WATER STAGE IS STAGE 2

EAWSD Imposes Water Restrictions for Eldorado Area

Effective immediately (May 25), the Board of the Eldorado Area Water and Sanitation District has imposed a Stage 2 (Severe) Water Alert on the area in accordance with the District's established Water Alert Management Plan. Among the restrictions is the limit to outdoor watering of one day per week per household. A full list of the restrictions and notification of the Alert will be mailed to each rate payer-household this week (this is also available on the District's web page at www.eldoradowaterdistrict.com link ‘Water Alert Management Plan').

We want to be very clear that this event is not about insufficient water resources in the ground. The Eldorado area has water in the ground, but we have a continued need for additional wells, pumping capacity, and financial reserves for emergencies.

The Eldorado Area water pumping capacity and volume stored in the tanks have reached critically low levels which fail to meet the increased summer demand, and the Board must now restrict the use of water in order to replenish and maintain the stored volume in our water tanks. While the Board and OMI work to resolve system limitations, these restrictions on use are necessary to avoid any unexpected surges in summer water use.

Water consumption this month has been higher than usual for May. On May 10-11, 25% more water than ever before was used, and while recent rainfall has had some effect on customer demand, there is currently a critical shortage in pumping capacity for the system. The high water demand on May 10 and 11 drew down the water levels in the storage tanks to less than 40%. At the same time, the operating wells have been unable to adequately replenish and maintain the tank volume. One major production well is reduced to 60% of capacity because of the lack of adequate spring runoff in the Galisteo Creek; and, since the high-demand weekend, another of the three largest producing wells failed with a mechanical problem. The existing wells have not been able to, and may continue to be unable to, replenish the reduced tank volume, which is needed to keep up with day-to-day demand and to assure adequate fire protection levels. Additional pumping capacity is now required. The combination of these factors has created our current emergency situation.

What is the EAWSD Board doing? Last fall, the Board took steps to prepare for filing an emergency pumping permit to allow temporary use of our newest well (which is not yet officially permitted for general operations due to protests) during the summer months. We had filed for that temporary use permit, in the past few days were denied the use of the well, and are refiling the temporary use permit as quickly as possible with additional information. The mechanical problem with the major well that malfunctioned is being repaired to put it back on line as quickly as possible, and we are also working to have procedures and parts in place should this problem reoccur. We have added a new budget fund for preventative maintenance for this next fiscal year; and although this does not cover the full needs of the District, we must put priority on this work.

In the past when restrictions were imposed, area residents have met the challenge responsibly and quickly. Your Board will keep you informed of new developments and we ask for your active participation in water conservation.

Board of Directors, EAWSD

Jim Jenkins

President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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