Berkeley Lab

October 2017 – Drilling and Cattle: An East River “Day in the Life”

Drilling at our “Upper Elevation” site was completed in advance of a winter storm that hit Crested Butte yesterday allowing the rig to descend safely from the 11,200-ft elevation drill site. Both the coring and vertically resolved hydrologic testing in the well bore were hugely successful thanks to Authentic Drilling and the hard onsite work and advance planning of USGS scientists Andy Manning and Lyndsay Ball (photo attached). Core recovery was excellent, approaching nearly 100% over the entire depth (ca. 270-ft).

As concerns the DOE-funded work by USGS scientists in the Redwell Basin, a link to an interview with Andy and Lyndsay follows.

Lastly, life in the west — and in our watershed specifically — brings us into contact with ranchers and their cattle.  Ranchers are critical members of the Crested Butte / Gunnison community and a group of important stakeholders in the watershed that we engage to develop cattle-friendly research activities and infrastructure.  RMBL serves as a key ally and primary facilitator for engaging the local ranching community, so a reminder to reach out to the RMBL Science Director, Jennie Reithel, and Ken Williams before working in areas where cattle will be present during the summer and fall seasons.

Pumphouse cattle drive:

Meet the Scientist: Andy Manning and Lyndsay Ball:

Redwell Basin drilling:

Upper Elevation site core recovery:

Upper Elevation site hydrologic testing: