(From The Monroe Watchman, September 7, 2017)
In October 2016, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) received a referral from Mike Hohn the Director and State Geologist for the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey (WVGES), that resulted from a letter drafted by the Monroe County Commission to Cabinet Secretary Keith Burdette. The letter requested that the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey: 1) Undertake and complete a thorough mapping and study of the complex karst region at the base of Peters Mountain and other areas of karst on or near the Mountain Valley Pipeline proposed corridor, and 2) Conduct an independent, comprehensive hydrogeological study of the water resources of Monroe County.
It was recently announced that the project is now fully funded in the amount of $360,000; with monies for the study being provided by the WV Department of Environmental Protection, the United States Geological Survey, and the Source-Water Protection Program operated by DHHR’s Bureau of Public Health.
In regard to the study, Mark Kozar, of the U.S. Geological Survey, noted:
“The Greenbrier aquifer is one part of the State that the USGS has not been afforded much opportunity to study, at least from a hydrogeologic perspective. As the Greenbrier aquifer is one of the larger and more important karst aquifers in the State of West Virginia, better characterization of the hydrogeology of the aquifer to aid understanding of groundwater flow processes is imperative, and a high priority for the USGS Virginia and West Virginia Water Science Center. Since the issue is also important to County planners, we are optimistic about moving forward in our studies of the Greenbrier aquifer, beginning in Monroe County, and potentially in future years expanding our studies northward to Greenbrier and Pocahontas Counties.”