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SUGAR
HOLLOW AQUIFER IN Consequently, in order for the Sugar Hollow Aquifer to be tapped for Danbury use, this legal ownership question would have to be answered. A wellfield, pump station and transmission main would be required to transport the water to Danbury. The total cost of this plan is estimated to be $372.000.” Also from the Corps study: “If properly developed this aquifer could yield up to 0.5 million gallons per day. A wellfield and pump station along with a 1300 foot long, 6 inch transmission main would transport water to the Danbury system.” SUGAR
HOLLOW AQUIFER The report found that “The most transmissive regions are found in the center of this long, narrow valley, where the stratified-drift material is both coarse-grained and thick.” The potential for public water supply withdrawal was modeled by a computer in the report, where it states that “Five hypothetical pumping wells were evenly distributed in the thickest most transmissive portions of the model area . . . The estimated combined sustained daily pumpage these wells can produce was found to be 1,100,000 gallons per day.” Continuing, “The total recharge available to the model area through natural and induced recharge was calculated to be 1,000,000 gallons per day. This small volume of water available per day through recharge results from a relatively small drainage basin area. . . The available recharge is less than the combined estimated long term pumpage calculated, and therefore the available recharge is the limiting condition in analyzing the amount of water available from the aquifer. . .greater pumpage rates will result in water levels declining too low and stream beds drying.” EXCERPT
ON THE SUGAR HOLLOW AQUIFER Three USGS test holes were drilled in the portion of the aquifer in the Town of Danbury. Two well completion reports are on file at the Health Department for the portion of the aquifer within the Town of Ridgefield. Additional test hole and well data are also available for the portion within the Town of Ridgefield from reports produced by S. B. Church and Geraghty & Miller for the Ridgefield Water Supply Company. The USGS
test holes indicate that the stratified-drift thickness is
at least 84 feet in the portion of the aquifer within the
Town of Danbury. The area east of Route 7 is mapped with thicknesses
of greater than 30 feet but less than 60 feet in the portion
within the Town of Ridgefield. Note that very little of the Sugar Hollow aquifer is within the Town of Ridgefield. The aquifer portions within and near Ridgefield are beneath tributaries to the Saugatuck River. Unfortunately, although the aquifer material is good, the watershed areas within Ridgefield are very limited. Watershed area is important because it is the source of recharge to the aquifer. The Sugar Hollow aquifer has been previously considered a significant aquifer, capable of upwards of 300 gpm (gallons per minute) to wells in the portion east of Route 7 within Ridgefield. However, the limited watershed area within Ridgefield does not indicate these yields would be sustainable. No data exist for a significant portion of the aquifer in the vicinity of Bennett Ponds where the USGS mapped the aquifer thickness as greater than 10 feet but less than 30 feet. The 7 day, 10 year low flow is estimated to be between 0. 04 and 0. 06 million gallons per day for the pond area east of Route 7 and between 0. 04 and 0. I 1 million gallons per day for the Bennett Ponds area. The average low flow for the two areas is estimated to be about 0.13 and 0.18 million gallons per day, respectively. No analysis of water samples for organic compounds has been performed. Analysis for major ionic constituents are on file at the Health Department. LBG's search of the DEP's records revealed the investigation of one incident involving the illegal storage of drums with unknown contents at a property overlying the aquifer. CT
DEP 2002 COMMENT ON "The Sugar Hollow Aquifer is identified by the State of Connecticut Department of Health and Addiction Services, and the Ridgefield Water Supply Company as having a potential for development of future water supplies along this portion of the study area. The Ridgefield Water Supply Company (now Bridgeport Hydraulic Company) is presently looking for a supply of water for the northern portion of Ridgefield. One of several alternate sites presently being investigated is located east of U.S. Route 7 in Ridgefield. The proposed storm drainage design for this project has been coordinated closely with the Ridgefield Water Company. As requested by the Water Company, we have eliminated outlets, separated roadway runoff from offsite water, and redirected roadway storm drainage away from a potential well site. This will improve the water quality in the area. The Atlas of the Public Water Supply Sources & Drainage Basins of Connecticut (1982) lists two well sites as occurring in the vicinity of the study area, both of these utilize the water resources of the Sugar Hollow Aquifer. Two wells belonging to the Lake Waubeeka Property Owners Association..... and a small, private well that served Danridge Manor Apartments (removed)."
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