– Press release

BISHOP, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management Bishop Field Office, in coordination with the Inyo National Forest Mammoth Lakes Ranger District, has approved construction of three groundwater monitoring wells near the town of Mammoth Lakes.

The wells will be used to monitor groundwater conditions to provide increased assurance that geothermal resource development in Upper Basalt Canyon will not adversely affect the town’s groundwater supply.

Monitoring well data will be incorporated into a shallow groundwater monitoring plan required by the BLM as a condition of approval for the Casa Diablo IV Geothermal Development Project.

Two of the three monitoring wells will be constructed by the U.S. Geological Survey Research Drilling Unit.  Drilling is expected to begin Saturday, Aug. 1, and continue through August at locations near Shady Rest Park.

The first site is a quarter-mile northwest of Shady Rest Park.  The second is two-tenths of a mile south of Shady Rest Park.  There will be an increase in construction vehicle traffic near Shady Rest Park, but recreational trails are expected to remain open.

For more information contact Collin Reinhardt, geologist for the BLM Bishop Field Office, (760) 872-5024.