How Does Science Help Us?
Science tells us the Cal-Am slant well project will cause harm to Marina’s water!
Citizens for Just Water has a number of concerns regarding the desal plant. Understanding the science and the facts is the best way to assess the validity and value of this project and to refute Cal-Am’s pseudo-science!
When this Desal project was proposed, it was touted as a great new experimental method which would draw ocean water through filtered subsurface sand layers bypassing ground water aquifers and draw ONLY from deep ocean water.
But this is not how the slant wells will be built!
The slant wells take up groundwater too. In fact, a LOT of groundwater. It will cost CalAm less energy to begin desalination with brackish water rather than straight seawater.
First generation groundwater imaging technology (ERT) is ignored by Cal-Am!
And Cal-Am claims their “science” proves “no harm” to our aquifers, our sole source of drinking water for our region from which Cal-Am has no legal water rights to pump!
To determine “no harm” to our groundwater aquifer, Cal-Am used data from eight random vertical wells. Cal-Am was aware at the time of the second DEIR (Draft Environmental Impact Report), that new technology called ERT (Electrical Resistivity Tomography) was available to survey more accurately and more thoroughly the subsurface to detect water quality. Instead of mere water samples through a single well length, ERT produced contiguous imaging along the entire Monterey Bay coastline!
Citizens for Just Water has a number of concerns regarding the desal plant. Understanding the science and the facts is the best way to assess the validity and value of this project and to refute Cal-Am’s pseudo-science!
When this Desal project was proposed, it was touted as a great new experimental method which would draw ocean water through filtered subsurface sand layers bypassing ground water aquifers and draw ONLY from deep ocean water.
But this is not how the slant wells will be built!
The slant wells take up groundwater too. In fact, a LOT of groundwater. It will cost CalAm less energy to begin desalination with brackish water rather than straight seawater.
First generation groundwater imaging technology (ERT) is ignored by Cal-Am!
And Cal-Am claims their “science” proves “no harm” to our aquifers, our sole source of drinking water for our region from which Cal-Am has no legal water rights to pump!
To determine “no harm” to our groundwater aquifer, Cal-Am used data from eight random vertical wells. Cal-Am was aware at the time of the second DEIR (Draft Environmental Impact Report), that new technology called ERT (Electrical Resistivity Tomography) was available to survey more accurately and more thoroughly the subsurface to detect water quality. Instead of mere water samples through a single well length, ERT produced contiguous imaging along the entire Monterey Bay coastline!
Second generation AEM is here and clearly shows there can be harm to Marina’s water!
AEM or Airborne Electro-magnetic imaging, is the next advancement of the ERT. In collaboration again with Dr. Rosemary Knight from Stanford University, the Marina Coast Water District (MCWD), surveyed a large expanse of land to detect water quality below the surface. A helicopter carrying the AEM apparatus flew over areas of Marina and surrounding areas (see flight pattern below) and produced imaging to depths of 1,000 feet below the surface and can be viewed in 3-D!
AEM or Airborne Electro-magnetic imaging, is the next advancement of the ERT. In collaboration again with Dr. Rosemary Knight from Stanford University, the Marina Coast Water District (MCWD), surveyed a large expanse of land to detect water quality below the surface. A helicopter carrying the AEM apparatus flew over areas of Marina and surrounding areas (see flight pattern below) and produced imaging to depths of 1,000 feet below the surface and can be viewed in 3-D!
Stanford AEM Presentation shows harm to groundwater reserves
CalAm "science" was inadequate in revealing groundwater reserves and potability, yet it was the basis for approval the project EIR with the CPUC. NO AGENCY TO DATE has given the AEM data a thorough review. It is the largest injustice of approval as the Stanford Study determines that there will be HARM to freshwater reserves. The California Department of Water Resources considers AEM the "state of the art" tool for mapping groundwater—yet this study was not considered in the project approval process.
CalAm "science" was inadequate in revealing groundwater reserves and potability, yet it was the basis for approval the project EIR with the CPUC. NO AGENCY TO DATE has given the AEM data a thorough review. It is the largest injustice of approval as the Stanford Study determines that there will be HARM to freshwater reserves. The California Department of Water Resources considers AEM the "state of the art" tool for mapping groundwater—yet this study was not considered in the project approval process.
Areas of deep blue show fresh water resources in scan. Image right shows the path of the helicopter used to capture this one continuous strip of data.
AEM Survey of 2017
It’s a bird. It’s a plane. No! It’s AEM!
People in the Marina reported seeing a helicopter with an attached apparatus flying overhead during the week of May 15 to May 19, 2017.
People in the Marina reported seeing a helicopter with an attached apparatus flying overhead during the week of May 15 to May 19, 2017.
The flight pattern for the AEM was considerable! Red lines indicate where the helicopter flew.
Graphic shows the grid patern used by the AEM helicopter to collect data of ground water resources
In August, 2017, a preliminary report was made public by Dr. Knight’s team.
How does the AEM relate to the Cal-Am Slant Well project?
The preliminary report by Dr. Knight clearly shows that there is fresh water in the Perched Dune Sand Aquifer at the proposed site of the Cal-Am slant wells. Cal-Am’s “science” failed to account for this major finding before claiming “no harm” to Marina’s Without any water rights, Cal-Am cannot be drawing fresh water from Marina’s aquifers!
How does the AEM relate to the Cal-Am Slant Well project?
The preliminary report by Dr. Knight clearly shows that there is fresh water in the Perched Dune Sand Aquifer at the proposed site of the Cal-Am slant wells. Cal-Am’s “science” failed to account for this major finding before claiming “no harm” to Marina’s Without any water rights, Cal-Am cannot be drawing fresh water from Marina’s aquifers!
The preliminary Stanford report shows much more fresh ground water present than Cal Am's report. (color added to clarify water zones)
You can learn more watch videos of the AEM process and findings here:
This is the full presentation by Keith Van Der Matten from the Marina Coast Water District about the recent findings from the AEM scanning done last year from the recent April 11 Citizens for Just Water Public Forum.
This a shorter clip is from the April 11 Citizens for Just Water Public Forum. Here Keith Van Der Matten from the Marina Coast Water District answers questions about the recent findings from the AEM scanning done last year.
Final AEM Data Report for Marina
| aem_report_final.pdf |