Council action is requested to issue a purchase order to Black & Veatch, in the amount of $100,000.00 for an Evaluation Study for groundwater related to the Atherton Quarry for the Water Department and increase appropriations.  Postponed from 10/4

Council action to issue purchase order.

The City of Sugar Creek is currently considering an application from Audubon Materials to operate an open pit mine on property located at 18301 E. Courtney Atherton Road. This property is in close proximity to the Independence drinking water wells. In addition, Independence currently has a 36” transmission main carrying water from the Courtney Bend Plant that runs directly across this property.
Sugar Creek would be required to issue a Special Use Permit to Audubon Materials to operate this mine and public hearings for this project are currently underway.

In an effort to access the potential impact from blasting at this site to both groundwater resources and the transmission main, Black & Veatch was consulted to assess their level of effort needed to evaluate both items. Their estimate for completion of both evaluations would be on the order of $100,000. For the groundwater resources, Black & Veatch would review information provided by Audubon Materials, perform an assessment of hydrogeological and river conditions near and downstream of Independence’s wellfield, perform a conceptual assessment of the potential for impacts of dewatering operations that are proposed at the mine (if any) on the aquifer using the 1996 groundwater model prepared by the USGS and perform a conceptual assessment of the groundwater time-of-travel to or from the proposed mine using the USGS model based on the grade elevation at the mine being lowered by approximately 90 feet.

For the impact to the transmission main, Black & Veatch would review information provided by Audubon Materials, confirm that Audubon has established a sufficient buffer zone between mining operations and review Audubon’s plan for monitoring vibrations during mining operations to confirm they are within appropriate levels. They would also provide comments as to the need for any additional monitoring systems and requirement for routine reporting of vibration monitoring results to
Independence.

The timeline for the vote by Sugar Creek for approval/denial of this project is unknown. The first public hearing for the Special Use Permit is scheduled for October 12, 2021. We are seeking Council approval to engage Black & Veatch to perform the two studies listed above if and when staff deems this review to
be necessary. Staff will continue to monitor this project as it moves forward.

Staff’s recommendation is to issue a purchase order to Black & Veatch. Black & Veatch has performed well on other environmental study projects. Black & Veatch was selected per State Statute 8.285, et seq, which calls for seeking architectural, engineering and land surveyor services based on qualifications. The Purchasing Division issues a Request for Qualifications every three years and has established a qualified list for such services.

This project is a budgeted item in the Water Department’s FY21-22 capital budget.

Approval of this item authorizes changes orders up to a total of ten (10) percent of the original authorized amount for each order, providing appropriations are available.

The fiscal impact to the City would be $100,000.00 if this study becomes necessary. Funding will be provided through an appropriation to 4830-5226, Project string E (642110-N) from the Water Department's unreserved and available net assets.