Winnemucca News

Winnemucca News

USGS issues report on Jungo study - 03-11-2010

WINNEMUCCA — The US Geological Survey recently issued a report on the potential impacts to water from the proposed Jungo Rd landfill. The study was requested by Senator Harry Reid last September.

The USGS was tasked with evaluating whether or not the proposed Jungo Rd. landfill would impact the Rye Patch Reservoir and Humboldt River, the potential impact to water resources in Winnemucca,  locations and altitudes of aquifers, the length of time it would take waste seepage -- should it occur --  to contaminate local aquifers, and the direction and distance contaminated groundwater would travel during a 95 – 190 year period.

The report used some data from previous studies – including investigations conducted in 1962, 1992, and 1995.  The report indicated neither the Rye Patch Resevoir or the Humboldt River would be impacted by surface releases from the proposed landfill, but further studies would have to be conducted to determine subsurface flows. Municiple water in Winnemucca would not be affected at all from either surface or subsurface release, the report noted.

The report addressed the issue of flooding- an area of concern expressed by some Humboldt County residents in light of flooding that occurred in the Desert Valley in 1983 and 1997.  However, Landsat imagery taken during these years indicate there was no water in the alkali flat, which is about two miles west of the proposed landfill site. According to the report, runoff from precipitation usually collects there, “but much larger events would have to occur for runoff from the landfill site to reach the alkali flat. The flat would then have to overflow into northern Desert Valley to affect surface-water resources.”

Residents have also expressed concern about wind-blown contaminants reaching  the Winnemucca area, but the report indicates “dispersion likely would dilute concentrations to an undetectable level in surface or subsurface water resources.”

The report notes, “Therefore, municipal water resources of Winnemucca would not be affected by surface or subsurface releases from the proposed Jungo landfill site.”

Another area of concern: the leakage of contaminants from the landfill into the soil. The report notes construction of the landfill will include a liner to mitigate contaminants leaking into the soil.

However, should that occur it would take about 200 years for contaminants to reach area wells, but the report indicated additional testing would have to be done to determine which wells would be impacted.

The report notes, “determining which wells could potentially be affected is complex because the flat topography makes it difficult to accurately measure groundwater altitudes and estimate gradients and flow directions in southern Desert Valley.”

While the report responds to the issues the USGS was tasked with addressing, it also indicates further tests are needed in several areas. For example,  further study is needed to determine if groundwater is moving south to Rye Patch Reservoir or west to the Black Rock Desert.

The report may be read in its entirety:  Hydrologic evaluation of the Jungo area

Written by Dee Holzel - Silver Pinyon Journal - 3/11/10

• Winnemucca News