Aquifer mapping study begins Thursday in Peyton/Falcon area to evaluate wells

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - If you live in Peyton, you may notice a low-flying helicopter over the next week.

The helicopter will be flying about 100 feet high from Highway 24 in Peyton, to 3 miles east of Ellicott Highway, to 2 miles South of Squirrel Creek Rd.

This is part of the Upper Black Squirrel Creek groundwater basin, which is home to 2,000 wells. The flyover area will be about 790 line miles of surface.

This is all part of an aquifer mapping study. The sensor the helicopter is carrying will detect the water levels, soil type, and distance between wells and aquifers in a groundwater basin below the earth's surface.

With recent population increase and rapid development, more and more water has been pulled from these wells and aquifers. Geologists estimate the water levels in this basin have gone down 50% since the 1950s.

The purpose of this flyover sensor is to detect how much water is left in the wells in this basin, where exactly the wells are so they can map them out, and if the ground is made up of sand, gravel, or clay.

"There are 2,000 wells in the state database in the area we're flying," Aqua Geo Frameworks Geologist and Geophysicist Jared Abraham said. "The problem is, the distance between these wells is variable. Maybe it's several hundred feet, maybe miles between others. But what this technology does is help fill in the gaps between our control points."

There's a tremendous amount of pressure on the groundwater resources with all the growth in the region. Since all houses and developments require water, use has gone up. This will help developers know where they can pull and where they shouldn't.

The helicopter started flying Thursday and will last about a week depending on weather and visibility. It won't be flying over housing developments and structures due to safety concerns.