Stage 3 restrictions remain, city council looks at geophysical survey

The Portales city commission warns residents to prepare to continue conservation efforts after concluding the city will be staying in the stage 3 water restrictions at Tuesday’s meeting.

The city has been in stage 3 since last summer. Councilman Eldon Merrick said in the discussion the peak demand in Portales is close to 5 million gallons a day, and that they are in a deficit of 1,000 gallons a minute.

“There’s no way we could reach that peak demand… I know everyone hates to hear that, but I don’t see any other option,” Merrick said.

Councilman Rustin Self agreed saying, “I don’t like the information that I’m hearing, but we have to face the facts.”

City Manager Sarah Austin then provided a water department update and said the city is working on adding flow meters to capture the water going out of the tanks.

“That project is about two months out,” Austin said.

There was no action in the discussion.

Also on Tuesday’s meeting the council heard a presentation from water engineers, suggesting that geophysical surveying could benefit the well situation.

Daniel B. Stephens & Associates (DBS&A), the city’s water engineers, provided an update on the preliminary engineering report. The report provides an outlook of phases for projects and needs for the city for the next 15 years or more. Austin said it is also required by the state and gives the city the ability to apply for funding.

Jennifer Hill, a senior engineer with DBS&A, provided information on the well locations around the city and the possibility of adding more in the future.

Hill said geophysical surveying and how it’s a way to map out what it looks like underground and identify palaeochannels, which are remnants of rivers or stream channels that no longer convey fluvial discharge within the system. Hill said palaeochannels are the most promising for water production.

“We’re recommending (geophysical surveying) in order to identify the best location for the next wells,” Hill said.

The survey would be broken up into three phases. It would cost about $260 million and would last 20 years.

“I wish we could snap our fingers and say that we’re going to solve this issue in the next six months, but I don’t think it’s going to happen,” Merrick said.

No action was taken on the presentation.