Hamilton County is currently conducting a water availability study that will produce new information about how water moves to wells and streams in the area. The county plans to use the findings from the study to make strategic decisions moving forward.
One of the more unique aspects of the study is that all parties involved from residents to the environmental firm to the county are sharing information and have approached the study very collaboratively.
Heirbrandt
“We wanted to conduct this study and proactively plan for future generations to see what our water availability is,” County Commissioner Mark Heirbrandt said.
The study was led to understand replenishment, conversation, who the top users were, and have a better idea of utility usage.
INTERA Inc., a water resources planning company that has decades of experience working on water availability in the area, is leading the investigation. INTERA’s team of hydrologists and geologists are collecting the data by distributing monitoring devices on wells located throughout the county. Up to 60 monitoring sensors have been located to help determine where the water is and more importantly, where the water is not. This will help Hamilton County decide what to do with its water supply for the decades to come.
The study was originally initiated in 2021 and really hit the ground running in 2022, according to Hamilton County Surveyor Kenton Ward.
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding was used to pay for the three-year study, which is expected to be completed in December 2024.
Preliminary data is being developed and it’s still too early to determine any possible results the study may field.
According to INTERA Inc., Hamilton County faces a unique challenge in that it is a rapidly growing county and needs more water. Officials say they have several tools at their disposal and have set up a model to monitor groundwater levels to predict what the water changes may look like in the future.
“Water is one of the most critical components of a thriving community and I’m proud to see this study continue moving forward so we can proactively plan for a better Hamilton County in the decades to come,” Heirbrandt said.