Well Field Design, Sustainability Evaluation, and Aquifer Test Plan

LRE Water is working with Lincoln Pipestone Rural Water (LPRW) in Southwest, Minnesota to develop a new well field capable of meeting their desired system expansion of 1,500 gpm. Project team members have been working with LPRW since 2008 and have completed various tasks including test hole drilling, observation and production well installation, well and well-field design, aquifer testing, sustainability assessments, and permitting.  Additionally, the project team members have incorporated GIS and custom GIS-tool development in all project work to synthesize large datasets and gain more understanding to provide LPRW with sound recommendations for future groundwater development.

In 2019, LRE Water provided field oversight of test hole drilling at three potential production well locations, oversight and installation of three observation wells, reviewed sand-sample sieve analyses, designed the second of two production wells (the first production well was installed in early 2019), evaluated an additional site for a future third production well, and conducted a well interference and sustainability assessment of the new, proposed well field. LRE Water worked with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Division of Ecological and Water Resources (EWR) to design a 30-day constant-rate aquifer testing plan that meets EWR requirements and expectations. The results of the 30-day test will provide EWR the information necessary to make a determination on LPRW’s North Area Water Source appropriation permit application.