Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1911-08-19
The Honorable The Board of Trus-
tees,
Frank Ticknor, Chairman,
Mountain Home, Idaho.

|
Frank Ticknor, Chairman,
Mountain Home, Idaho.
Gentlemen:
The following report is respectfully
submitted on the nature of the soil
encountered in driving the six wells
at the northerly end OF Alturas Street
and the results of the pumping tests
conducted thereon.
After a very careful and thorough
study of the territory to the north
and northeast OF the Village,
on which side it has always been
accepted that the. supply must be es-
tablished, | finally came to what ap-
pears to be Justified conclusion that
ii ground water could be found any
where within a mile and a half limit
OF the incorporated boundary of the
Village, 1T could probably be found
in the area at the northerly end of
Alturas Street, not far from the old
creek or slough bed. The mile and
a half limit is the length Of supply
main covered by my report on the
water works system made last winter
which was provided for in the call
for a $4,000 bond issue. At that
time it was considered as possible
that it might prove wise to go out
that distance IL no satisfactory ground
water supply was found nearer in.
In my study and survey for the
sewer system, made last winter, con
tours were carefully established which
covered most OF the incorporated
section OF the Village. These con-
tours show very even slope running
from northwest to southeast, the
ground dropping "a feet from the in
OF Galloway Street and the
northern boundary OF the incorpo rat
ed limits to the intersection of lloyd
Avenue and IIutchins Street. They
show plainly that the surface drainage
from the territory covered by houses
and buildings along Galloway Street
will run off far to the. well location
at the northerly end of Altqras
Street; and all other surface drain
age between those houses and the
railroad right of way will be taken
care~of by the old creek bed. | do
not hesitate, therefore, to state that
the well location at the northerly end
Of Alturas Street is absolutely free
from any and all danger of surface
drainage from any settled district now
existing or which may hereafter ex-
st to the north and northwest of the
wells.
Notwithstanding this absolute free
lom from surface drainage, however,
could not advise the adoption of
he present location had not the1
Irving of the wells revealed well
lefined and extensive body Of hard,
Try and impervious clay coming be-
.ween the porous subsurface soil and
he water bearing strata below. Such
! body of protecting clay was found
n all six wells, varying from five CO.
eet to about thirteen Q3) feet in
thickness. This discovery placed the
source of water supply to the wells
absolutely beyond the danger Of any
surface or subsurface contamination,
md there need not be the slightest
on the part of your Board
" the citizens of Mountain Home on
he pollution of this source now or
It any time In the future. At the
ime the wells were driven, a mark
ID and copious flow of water was
truck about ten 10) feet below the
umace. That flow may rightly be
allied surface and irrigation water
IS the soil between 1t and the sur
ace is pervious; and that is the
low which would be subject to pos
iIble contamination.
The source of supply for the wells
les at about twenty-five (25) feet
elow the general surface of the 4
round at the northerly end of Altur.
s Street in stratum Of coarse
ravel varying from 2.5 feet to so or
O. feet in depth, and protected above
" from so feet to about 1870 feet
hard, dry impervious clay. The
irving through this clay blanket with
No. Keystone driller was very
ifficuN.
In the first well driven the hole
vas continued on down to lava rock
howing this underlying bed rock to
e about 75 feet below ground level
t the wells with no appreciable in |
low of water between the 25 #.
epth and the rock. The material
Glow the water bearing gravel supply
, also clay with some gravel Just
bove the rock
For the pumping tests, a tell tale !