Desert Rock Energy Project (DREP) Water Resource Study, Sithe Global Power, Navajo Nation – Four Corners Area, NM

2006 - 2008: Chis, under a former employer., conducted a water resource and hydrogeologic assessment of the Northwestern portion of the San Juan Basin San Basin in Northwestern New Mexico on Navajo Nation land, for the proposed DREP 1,500-megawatt coal-fired electrical generating plant. The study identified groundwater stored in the deep (~6,000 feet) Morrison Aquifer as the most viable source of water for the 50-year life expectancy of the plant. Chris worked closely with personnel from the Navajo Nation Department of Water Resources to sample existing Tribal wells for water quality, and to obtain and review internal records (well and geophysical logs, aquifer test data, etc.).

The project included: 1) an inventory and qualitative geochemical analysis of Tribal seeps and springs to evaluate potential impacts associated with proposed Morrison Aquifer groundwater withdrawals; 2) a well siting study to identify the most suitable locations for the drilling and testing of test wells, and; 3) preparation of a Rough Order Magnitude (ROM) engineer’s cost estimate to construct the projected well field (20 wells), totaling over $40M. Ultimately, the DREP was not constructed due to EPA air quality restrictions; however, under the current Trump Administration and due to future decommissioning of the adjacent Navajo Generating Station, the DREP could very likely come back into play.