Nebraska Well Drillers Association working with Downey Drilling
October 3, 2023 | Dedication Ceremony
Monitoring Well to Enhance Education at Outdoor Learning Area
An educational monitoring well was added to the Outdoor Learning Area east of the Raising Nebraska Building at the Nebraska State Fairgrounds. The well was dug and dedicated Tuesday during a gathering of the Nebraska Well Drillers Association. Downey Drilling of Lexington built the well, which is 55 feet deep.
The Outdoor Learning Area was developed by the Grand Island Groundwater Guardian Team and is maintained by the Team and the Central Platte Natural Resources District. The organizations have been developing the quarter-acre site since 2012. The monitoring well will be used to educate the public and young people about groundwater.
“Our board plans to install a monitoring system on this well to allow the public statewide to find out what the groundwater levels are year-round at this site,” Mick Reynolds said during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Reynolds, who lives between Wood River and Shelton, is chairman of the Central Platte NRD board.
“The water drilling industry in Nebraska is licensed and has been for a good many years,” said Lee Orton of Lincoln, who is executive director of the Nebraska Well Drillers Association. Part of the licensing requirement involves continuing education. “And our association provides a great deal of that,” Orton said.
Tuesday’s exercise in Grand Island gave drillers a chance to see new technology, as well as the use of drilling mud. In digging the well, Downey demonstrated the use of a Versa-V-140X drill rig. Observers received continuing education credits.
One of the members of the Grand Island Groundwater Guardian Team is Marcia Lee, Information/Education Specialist for Central Platte NRD. Other members of the group on hand Tuesday were Patsy Steenson and Julie Frandsen.
Article written by Jeff Bahr, Reporter for The Grand Island Independent
YOUR CPNRD CONTACT: Marcia Lee | lee@cpnrd.org | (308) 385-6282
