R2002-79 AUTHORIZING AGREEMENT - Laserfiche WebLink

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DEPARTMENT OF WATER MANAGEMENT Memorandum No. 2002-12 April 22, 2002 TO: Honorable Mayor Howley and City Council FROM: Steve Garman, City Manager John A. Smith, Assistant City Manager for Public Services Keith D. Alexander, Director of Water Management �� SUBJECT: University of Illinois - Illinois State Water Survey Mahomet Aquifer Characteristics and Delineation Study SUMMARY RECOMMENDATION: Council adopt the attached Resolution authorizing Standard Research Agreement No. 02-289 with the University of Illinois for a Mahomet Aquifer Characteristics and Delineation Study to be performed by the Illinois State Water Survey for a fixed cost of$12,000. BACKGROUND: In the early 1990s, the City established a water wellfield in DeWitt County to supplement Lake Decatur. In late 1999 through early 2000, the wellfield was operated for 90 days due to extremely low Lake Decatur water levels. At that time the City received several dry well i complaints from area well owners. Previous studies had indicated that these wells should not have been impacted by a 90-day use of the City's wellfield. In arder to determine the cause of ' the well owners' complaints, the City hired the Illinois State Water Survey to examine the situation. Their study, completed in 2001, discovered that there may be a unique connection between the Mahomet, Glasfard and Wedron aquifers, near the City's Cisco water wells located adjacent to the Sangamon River in Piatt County. This potential connection may be the cause for the dry well complaints and requires further study to minimize the impacts of Decatur's DeWitt ' County wellfield when it is operated in the future. 'i The Mahomet Valley Water Authority (MVWA), a groundwater management agency with jurisdiction adjacent to the City's wellfield, will also greatly benefit from this study. Therefore, the cost of the study will be split between the City($12,000 or 44%) and the MVWA($15,000 or 56%). POTENTIAL OBJECTIONS: None foreseen.