San Miguel County looks to be model for groundwater monitoring

TELLURIDE — Having recently gained recognition as a groundwater steward, San Miguel County hopes others follow its lead and begin monitoring their groundwater.

Two county sites have received official designation as Groundwater Guardian Green Sites through the national Groundwater Foundation.

This program was developed to recognize stewardship of groundwater by encouraging managers to implement, measure, and document their groundwater-friendly practices.

"The reason I wanted the county to participate is to simply set a model. We're going to keep records, we hope that will lead to more people in the public and private sector keeping records," said County Commissioner Art Goodtimes. "We have no baseline data ... If we're serious about protecting groundwater, then we need to have some monitoring."

He said the state has great surface water protection, including a comprehensive storm water regulatory program that San Miguel County helped strengthen.

But groundwater is a different story. The county has many exempt wells and the quality and amount of water being pulled from them is unknown, he said.

Program participation requires documentation of current practices related to pesticide and fertilizer use, water use, pollution prevention, water quality, and environmental stewardship, according to the foundation's Web site (www.groundwater.org).

These practices are especially relevant as oil and gas, uranium and oil shale begin to boom in Western Colorado, Goodtimes said.  

“If done without proper oversight and care, these strategic energy industries could potentially pollute our precious groundwater and damage the region for generations."

San Miguel County received official designation for two local sites: the county fairgrounds and Down Valley Park. One more application will be filed concerning the Road and Bridge Shops, according to Open Space and Recreation coordinator Linda Luther.

"It's an analysis of what you have onsite and how you manage those products so that you don't contribute to water pollution," Luther said. This is the county's first year of participation.

The Groundwater Guardian Green Site Program is important because it demonstrates the county’s willingness to take the lead in natural resource preservation, Goodtimes said.

Designation through the program is based on a site's current practices related to pesticide and fertilizer use, water use, managing sources of pollution, protecting water quality and environmental stewardship.

Sites must earn a minimum of 70 percent for designation, which is maintained annually with application updates.

Contact Lisa Huynh at lisah@montrosepress.com