In-depth presentations to examine Deep Aquifer

A pair of presentations this week will provide locals with a deep look into the massive aquifer underlying the Flathead Valley.

Fed by the Flathead River and Flathead Lake, the Deep Aquifer spans some 300 square miles and extends to underground depths of more than 3,000 feet.

During events on April 5 and 6, John Wheaton and James Rose, scientists with the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology, will discuss their work modeling the Deep Aquifer and working to understand how water flows through it.

“On the quantity of water and the flow paths, this model is the beginning point for that type of work, how big the system is and what it’s connected to,” Wheaton said. “When you think about the geological forces that formed that aquifer, it’s pretty cool. There’s a lot of variety in it.”

The presentations are sponsored by the Flathead River Commission, the Flathead Lakers, the Flathead Conservation District, Flathead Community College and the Haskill Basin Watershed Council, along with the state geology bureau.

Wheaton and Rose will hold an informal discussion of their research April 5 at 6 p.m. as part of the Flathead Laker’s “Science on Tap” speaker series at Flathead Lake Brewing Co. in Bigfork.

A more in-depth PowerPoint presentation will follow on April 6 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the college’s Arts and Technology Building in Kalispell. There will be a question-and-answer session after the presentation.

Wheaton and Rose plan to release their model and calculations in digital form for researchers and others to use. Wheaton added that they will be compatible with both geologic modeling and geographic information systems software.

“A lot of the total depth is based on gravity measurements,” he explained. “We brought together data from a lot of old projects. ... We’re building on what’s been done in the past and carrying it the next step forward.”

Verdell Jackson, a river commission board member and conservation district supervisor, said that while the aquifer has recently appeared in the limelight amid concerns about a proposed water bottling plant near Creston, that won’t be the subject of the discussions.

He hopes people show up out of general interest in the aquifer and the valley’s hydrogeology, rather than to voice their opinions on the plant.

“They’re going to be upset and potentially ruin the presentation,” Jackson said. “We don’t want the general population to be squeezed out if they’re there to just learn about the aquifer and the research they’ve done.”

Wheaton added that it’s important for audience members to understand that they are scientists, not regulators, and can’t weigh into the local issue.

“We’re exactly like the county [agricultural] extension agents, except we’re the state geological survey,” he said. “However, [with] a better understanding of the system, the purpose of that understanding is to help people manage the water.”

Reporter Sam Wilson can be reached at 758-4407 or by email at swilson@dailyinterlake.com.