In response to Mr. Ciliberti’s comment from the letter he wrote, (May 30, 2013). He stated: “Most of the water pumped for domestic (household) usage (90%) will be recycled back into the ground water.”
This is from the Montana Bureau of Mines & Geology: The 10% he is referring to is called “consumptive use,” or well water that leaves the property through plants, evaporation, etc. The other 90% is assumed to be waste water from a shower, toilet or laundry which goes through the septic field. This recharges the shallow aquifer, but not the deep aquifer it is pumped from, and of course the water quality is NOT the same after the septic field.
A note: they state in the hydrologic report there are three aquifers (HSU-A, B, C) and that the upper aquifer is disconnected from the lower aquifer they are pumping from, which makes it unlikely they are recharging the aquifer they are pumping from. The extra water in the shallow subsurface will flow toward the river and likely interact with the Lee Metcalf ponds on the way. So while it returns to the ground, it may not return to where it was pumped from and the water quality is DIFFERENT.”
In response to Mr. Ciliberti, as he also said: “Ground water flow analysis shows that approximately 105 acres of the wildlife refuge is down gradient (down slope) of the Legacy Ranch project – less than 4% of the total land area of the refuge.”
Does this mean it IS OK to harm, pollute, disturb or distress ONLY 4% of the Refuge? How much would be TOO MUCH? There should be NO effect to the Refuge! And the Bitterroot River is also down gradient of the Legacy Ranch, being very close across the Eastside Hwy, just on the other side of the bank of the most northern pond. There should be NO effect to the Bitterroot River!
We NEED to PROTECT the Wildlife Refuge AND the Bitterroot River! Do NOT destroy either! NOT even 4% of it!
Frank & Jan Wehrli
Stevensville