Page 6
Abandoned city d u m p s a p r o b le m
By DAI.K KONKK
What do you do with an
abandoned city dump? The
answer to this question con
fronts the officials of many
Oregon counties, and Morrow
County is no exception.
In l9 and 1971. the Oregon
Legislature passed legislation
requiring completion of a solid
waste management plan. In
cooperation with the Depart
ment of Environmental Quali
ty. Morrow County was able to
complete the study and suit
able landfill sites were select
ed. (Jrant funds were avail
able for the study.
When Morrow County
makes the change to the new
sanitary landfill system, pro-
Horizontal wells
for more water
Hortionljl S ... . ..
Well .,. W"t,r T?'.. v..-;', )-
Scop Aquifer " Vlfi'V
TrLlS I: Imper vio u s.: L a y e r 'ZJzJz. '"Jit
KvCiKNKMcl.UC.III.IN
Stockmen have had difficul
ty developing stockwater at a
suitable location for a reason
able cost.
Horizontal well drilling is a
recent range water producing
technique which has a tre
mendous potential for Mor
row. Gilliam, Wheeler, and
(Irani county ranges. A hori
zontal well is simply a horizontally-cased
well drilled into
a hillside at a slight downward
slope '-. inch per foot
minimum i to tap impounded
groundwater.
Possible well sites are
located by evidence of a water
seep, presence of water loving
plants (Kentucky bluegrass,
willow, dryland sedge, and
rose bush t. or observation and
analysis of geologic forma
tions. This type of well drilling has
mainly been done in Arizona,
where 45 of 53 wells produce
0.25 or more gpm. with most
producing 3 to 10 gpm. The
drilling rate usually varies
from 3 to 9 inches per minute
through heavy clay, decom
posed granite, and soft rock,
but the drilling rate, may
decrease to less than 1 inch
per minute in hard rock.
The wells average $500 per
producing well, including $50
for plumbing supplies. This
cos! includes the dry holes and
time sH-nt on site location and
road building. It should be
stressed that the cost and
success of horizontal well
drilling will depend on the
driller's skill in site selection
and geological character of
the area.
The main advantages of
horizontal wells over conven
tional spring developments
are: reduced water loss, less
possibility of contamination,
improved chances for devel
oping slock water, reduced
maintenance and lower initial
development cost.
Heppner
01
Serving Morrow County for more
than 25 years
with quick, clean, dependable
LP gas for farm, home
and industry
770 W. Riverside 676-9450
tective measure must bo
taken on the Heppner and lone
dumps to reduce erosion of the
wasle material. The old
dumps are an unsightly source
of pollution and waste mater
ials can be carried into the
stream waters below.
(rant funds on a matching
basis are available from the
state for establishment of the
new landfill. The program did
not provide money for cleanup
of the old dumps, and so
Morrow County has started
looking into a source of other
funds. The estimated cost for
elimination of the open dumps
is 15.000.
('rants have been made
available for this type work in
other states through the He
source Conservation and
Development Program
(IU'&I) of the United States
Department of Agriculture,
Morrow County has made
application to the Columbia
Blue Mountain RC&D for this
assistance. The application
was approved by the KC&I)
sHinsors.
The next step is to plan the
treatment needed for the old
dumps. Alternatives could
include burying at the present
location, seeding with grass
and protecting from surface
runoff by diversions or it
could require loading the old
material and depositing in the
new landfill.
Whichever decision is made,
the Morrow County Court and
Morrow Soil and Water Con
servation District arc aware
of the problem and are taking
action to remedv.
Good Conservation Practices
Today, Brings a Land of Promise
Tomorrow.
NOW 2 LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU
PENDLETON
Airport Road
276-6341
HERMIST0N
Butter Creek Hwy.
567-8327
Will your land 111 L'r
What you know and do about toil conitrvation
makes the big difference in future productivity for your
farm. Investigate now ... see how crop rotation, to
prevent soil depletion; contour plowing, for sloping
land; drainage, for wet land; and other tested tech
niques can help you prevent soil erosion , . . assure
continued profitable production.
Port of Morrow Commission
I M AH INK DltlVK . HOAHD.MAN, OIIKGON . (503) -29S