Residents packed the meeting room at the Springfield Township Library last week to voice concerns about a proposed ‘augmentation well? on Waumegah Lake.
Many learned, however, that the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality cannot legally respond to their concerns.
Many protesters fear the augmentation well will threaten their private wells, but MDEQ officials at the Tuesday, Jan. 6 public hearing said they only have authority to rule based on ‘unacceptable disruption to aquatic resources? around the lake.
‘We don’t have jurisdiction over groundwater,? according to Melanie Foose, an MDEQ environmental quality analyst who served as hearing administrator.
‘Our permit covers putting the water into the lake,? MDEQ District Supervisor Mary Vanderlaan said. ‘There is not a state law on permitting or not permitting groundwater withdrawal or surface water withdrawal.?
That revelation did not stop people from expressing fears that, if approved, the augmentation well would cause problems for other residents? water supply.
‘I don’t want to lose my pond to float their boats,? Ellis Road resident Larry Morgan said, threatening to pursue litigation if the permit is approved.
‘Our concern is one of groundwater,? Sleepy Time Court resident Steve Talbot said. ‘Everyone’s concerned on what impact it will have on our wells.?
A total of 271 people signed in to the hearing, with 67 people offering opinions during the formal public hearing. MDEQ officials have 90 days to rule on permit, then will follow a 60-day appeal period.
The lake which straddles the Springfield-Independence township border, has been a topic of debate ? and legal action ? since 1996, when a retention dam failed. The dam was repaired in 1998, but lakefront residents say the lake level has not recovered.
A 1997 court order established a ‘legal level? of 1,049.9 feet, and the Waumegah Lake Improvement Board is proposing more berm work and the augmentation well to help reach that level.
Engineer Ole Anderson represented the lake board at the public hearing, claiming precedent at other county lakes and assuring residents the lake board would pay to replace any damaged private wells.
Existing wells on Duck Lake and White Lake have been there for 35 years, with no impact on existing wells, he said.
Like other augmentation wells, the Waumegah Lake well will be a deep one, Anderson said, and the 230-foot depth should be much deeper than private wells.
‘To say that a well at Lake Waumegah would dry up other wells, lakes, wetlands and shallow water resources for miles and cause the ground to settle is totally inappropriate and unsupported,? Anderson said. ‘It simply will not happen.?
Work has begun on a test well, Anderson said, and observation wells will be used to monitor the impact on aquifers used by existing wells. Only when the test well proves itself will the Oakland County Drain Commission issue the well permit.
Even if local wells were to dry up, Anderson said the lake assessment district has funds allocated to replace them.
Talbot said that news is ‘comforting,? but he said his well is at 220 feet, ‘I suspect there’s a much larger number of residents that actually fall at that level.?
Some argued against the proposal based on ‘quality, not quantity? issues.
Jeffrey Holler identified himself as a ‘watershed scientist? who formerly represented the county drain commission on the lake board.
‘Groundwater mining is what this is,? he said, noting ‘downstream effects? from the pumping process. ‘There are pollution issues. There are beach closing issues. There are E coli issues.?
Several lakefront residents said they don’t want to cause problems for others, but are concerned about the problems they face with the low lake level.
‘If my children go out on the ice currently and fall through, they’re only going to have about a foot of water to pull themselves up,? lakefront resident Barb Armstrong said. ‘What is remaining below that is simply muck. They could very easily drown in muck.?
‘No matter what anybody thinks, nobody wants to do anything to cause anybody any damage or any harm anywhere,? Jerry Kinsey said. ‘All we’re trying to do is restore the lake back to where it was and help replenish the wetlands around the area. We’re not expanding the lake.?