good news for pen awaited , page-26

Well worth a refresher read (see belaow, previously posted by one of our astute PEN holders).

The injection zone proposed for the five injection wells requested in this Class I UIC permit application is the Cambrian-age Deadwood and Flathead Formations.

Groundwater Classification of the Discharge Zone: WDEQ is classifying waters in the Deadwood and Flathead aquifers within the areas of review for each disposal well as Class VI because the wells are "located in such a way, including depth below the surface, so as to make use economically and technologically impractical

All three criteria for a Class VI groundwater designation will likely be satisfied for the Deadwood/Flathead units on the eastern margin of the Powder River Basin.

Concentrations of TDS make it unsuitable for use (Criterion A). It is so contaminated with dissolved solids that it would be economically impractical to make the water useable (Criterion B). The Deadwood/Flathead is also located at such a depth compared to more easily accessible and higher quality waters of the Madison (i.e., lowermost USDW) so as to make its use economically impractical (Criterion C).

Total dissolved solids (TDS) concentrations in the Deadwood and Flathead aquifers at the Ross site are almost certainly greater than 5,000 mg/L and could be well above 10,000 mg/L. Use of these aquifers as drinking water supplies is not plausible. The sensitivity of drinking water supplies to water quality is illustrated by the development of Gillette's water supply. Rather than drill Madison wells near the city, Gillette chose to drill the wells far to the northeast and install a 42 mile pipeline to convey the water to the users. The expectation of "highly mineralized" water in the Madison below Gillette, in addition to the high cost of a deep well, played a major role in the decision to locate the wells far from town (State Engineer's Office, 1977, p. 37).

Aquifers in the discharge zone at the Ross site are unfavourable for sustainability, unfavourable for water quality, and unfavourable for high yield. Developing unsustainable, poor quality water with low yield wells is not economical.



Petrotek Engineering Corporation, 20010, UIC Permit application, which WDEQ could not fault.

http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CBkQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fadamswebsearch2.nrc.gov%2Fidmws%2FViewDocByAccession.asp%3FAccessionNumber%3DML110130325&ei=Rit3Tf2XHZLSuwPmtJHjBQ&usg=AFQjCNFwg19rXcQzZFFjNQzQfgQ739r_Ng



WDEQ factsheet for Ross, well worth a read.

http://deq.state.wy.us/wqd/events/uic/Fact%20Sheet%20-10-263-Strata-2-28-11.pdf