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St. Joseph County approves continued USGS well monitoring; county share $3,103, board discusses adding west-side well
Summary
The board approved a joint funding request with the U.S. Department of the Interior/USGS for annual well water level measurements; county share is $3,103 and the well network includes 29 wells, including three continuous monitors. Commissioners discussed adding a west-side monitor and longer-term monitoring for development sites.
The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners approved a joint funding request with the U.S. Department of the Interior for annual well water level measurements at its Feb. 18 meeting. Mark Espich, director of environmental health for the county Department of Health, said the county’s share of the annual cost is $3,103 and the USGS will cover $1,800.
Espich told commissioners the well network comprises 29 wells, three of which provide continuous monitoring. He said the continuous sites include one just south of the airport, one near Douglas in Ironwood and one near Douglas at the county line near Elkhart. He said staff discussed the possibility of adding a well on the county’s west side but noted installation would be an added upfront cost.
"For $3,103, that's would be our part, and then, the USGS will cover $1,800 of that cost," Espich said. Commissioners discussed whether monitoring by developers—citing an agreement with GM that requires monitoring for five years—would duplicate county efforts. Espich said developer monitoring could cover an initial period but that longer monitoring ("10, 20 years out, not just a 5 year commitment") may be needed to detect long-term impacts.
Commissioners approved the joint funding request. Votes recorded: Commissioner Morton, aye; Commissioner Hazen, aye; Commissioner Baxmayer, aye.
Espich said the continuous-monitoring data are available online and that staff could explore converting nonproduction wells to monitoring wells or adding a new well in a developing part of the county, recognizing higher upfront installation costs for a new monitor.
