Point Reyes Light - December 9, 1999
EAH digs test wells at housing site
As a first show of activity at the Point Reyes Station property proposed for affordable housing, contractors for Ecumenical Association for Housing last Thursday began test drilling to study the property's hydrology.
A contractor for EAH, Pierson Drilling from Sebastopol, drilled two groundwater monitoring wells on the 19.5-acre property on Thursday, and an additional two on Friday. Three of the wells were placed on the east side of the parcel near the Coast Guard Housing facility, while the fourth was installed on the west side of the property near West Marin School.
"This is the beginning of a long process," said EAH senior project planner Lamar Turner. "All we know so far is the depths of the groundwater."
EAH has hired Point Richmond's Questa Engineering Corp. to develop the wells and test the composition of the soils and the groundwater, plus groundwater movement. Samples will be taken during different tidal levels and periods of wet and dry weather.
Ultimately the results would be used to suggest how the new septic systems could be arranged to protect the water quality of both Lagunitas/Papermill Creek and the two creekside wells that provide Point Reyes Station's water supply.
Questa geologist Randall Smith said there were no significant surprises that came from last week's drilling. If the weather is not too wet, Smith said, he will return next week to clear the two-inch wide wells of debris and begin sampling.
"First we have to 'develop' the wells," he explained. "We remove the silt and the loose sand and flush the line. After that we can begin to sample the wells and do some chemical tests."
Pierson and Questa engineers have directions from EAH to drill an additional four test wells downhill on the Coast Guard Housing property, once the wells have been approved.