Hydro Resources Colorado successfully contained the water flow from the new Park Center Well late Saturday afternoon. Water had been flowing from the well at a rate of 1,600-2,000 gallons per minute when Hydro Resources hit an unexpected high pressure during drilling operations on August 1st. The drill site is located near the original 80-year old Park Center Well, five miles north of Cañon City along Garden Park Road.
The Fremont County Department of Transportation assisted the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) by constructing a bypass road around the project site to provide a sufficient working area for several pieces of large equipment. Traffic is one-way and motorists should expect some delays as traffic is detoured around the road blockage.
Additional review of the current condition of the existing well is planned over the next several days. The BLM is also in the process of reviewing any potential impacts caused by the excess water flow and any sedimentation into the adjacent Fourmile Creek which drains into the Arkansas River.
In April, the BLM Royal Gorge Field Office awarded a $1,176,000 contract under ARRA (The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) to Hydro Resources Colorado, LLC. to drill a new well to replace the deteriorating 80-year old Park Center Well. This well has provided municipal water for more than 40 years to Park Center Water District users across the rural area on the north edge of Cañon City. The BLM also uses this well for fire emergencies and other administrative uses.
(The above news release provided courtesy of the BLM)