Join the Flagstaff Chapter of the Arizona Hydrological Society and the City of Flagstaff to learn about the drilling of a second groundwater well at Ft. Tuthill. Staff will review the geophysical information that the city uses to locate wells and the drilling technology that saves money and produces a straighter well. The innovative dual-rotary drilling system effectively seals off any cracks or caverns encountered along the way and requires very little circulation of drilling water; the method is meeting the city’s stringent drilling specifications.
Date: Saturday, May 1
Time: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Location: 328 Garrison Rd, Flagstaff, AZ 86005 (Please park in the paved Yavapai Ramada Parking Lot off Garrison Road)
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/2c6DEV3PVkkhZmxR9
Registration: There is a registration limit of 25 people. Can’t make this event? The city will be offering additional event dates later in May.
History:
The drilling of a second groundwater well at Fort Tuthill County Park began February 22, 2021. Drilling this well is part of the city’s 100-year water supply planning policy and the subsequent ten-year capital plan initiated after the 2002 drought left Upper Lake Mary reservoir nearly dry, resulting in water shortages throughout the city. This is the first of five wells in the plan to add resiliency to the city’s water supply and serve as a safety net against climate change and resulting drought, forest fires or infrastructure failure. Groundwater wells are the core producers of city water, averaging 65% of the city’s potable water supply since 1950. They tap into the C-aquifer at an average depth of 1000 feet below land surface with the bottom of most wells exceeding 2000 feet.
The city has drilled over 30 groundwater wells to the Coconino, or C-Aquifer over the last 65 years. The first deep well, Woody Mountain Well #1, was drilled by Flagstaff’s Perry family in 1954. The last well was drilled in 2009, when a series of wells were established to strengthen the city’s growing need for water. The new well will be drilled to a depth potentially reaching 2500 feet below land surface to capture the maximum amount of available water. The drilling team expects to reach the aquifer at about 1300 feet. This well is anticipated to provide a flow rate of at least 250 gallons per minute, and as high as 1,200 gallons per minute, augmenting the southwest area of Flagstaff’s distribution system.