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April26,2012

History
1905:VillageofWebsterformed,inpart,tosupplywater toitsresidents 1908:$300allocatedforstudyofwater;specialelection heldandvotersapprove(9425)toestablishwater systematacostof$32,000;votersapprovebonds 19091910:VillageconstructsstandpipeonSouthAve 1935:Villagepurchasesandbeginstodevelopwellfields 1950s:Villageexpandswaterproductionandis supplyingwatertoentireTownofWebster.By1969,12 wellsareoperating. 1980s:VillageretractsareareceivingVillagewateras theTownexpands;somewellsdiscontinuewater production 2000:MosttowncustomerswitchfromVillagewater
Sourceofinformationto1980s:WebsterThroughtheYears,EstherDunn
FirstWellatWellFields

Diagram of Wells

DepthofWells:about350 Wellsdrawwaterfromthe Irondogenesee Aquifer

Well Inventory

FromWaterCommitteeNotes July2010

Irondogenesee Aquifer
The Irondogenesee aquifer consists of two thick, productive sand and gravel layers and lenses that are separated in most places by less permeable glacial-lake beds. Wells in the Dewitt Road field reportedly produce water from only the lower permeable zone. The lower permeable zone of the aquifer is from 60 to 85 feet thick and might extend as far west as the center of the Irondogenesee Valley; the zone extends northward under Lake Ontario.

FromGroundWaterAtlasoftheUnitedStates

Irondogenesee Aquifer
In the southern part of the area, the aquifer consists only of the lower permeable zone (sections E-E', F-F', fig. 46). Here, the lower permeable zone consists of sand and gravel, which is about 80 feet thick (section F-F', fig. 46) and extends laterally at least 3 miles. Well fields that supply East Rochester and Pittsford obtain water from this zone. The northern extent of this sand and gravel is unknown, but it may connect with the lower permeable zone of the aquifer at the Dewitt Road well field.

FromGroundWaterAtlasoftheUnitedStates

Biological Study of Irondequoit Bay

2002,101page studyof Irondequoit Bay VillageWell fieldpartof thestudy

Elevations/Contours along Bay

Erosion Potential

Wellfieldsareinacoastalerosion hazardareawithahigherosionpotential

Plant Species

Predominateplantspeciesinclude blackcherry,blackoak,cherry,hickory andnorway maple

Irondequoit Bay Harbor Management Plan: 2003


TheWebsterwatertowerandwell fieldsareanimportantupland habitat,mentionedbyCooperand alsobytheNYNHPandothers. Theyareamixofmatureand successionalecological communitiesthatoffera diversityofhabitatstoupland birdandmammalspecies.

Pg 40

Irondequoit Bay Harbor Management Plan: 2003


TheMonroeCounty EnvironmentalManagement Council(EMC)considersthe IrondequoitBayEcosystemtobe oneofthetopenvironmentally sensitiveareasinMonroeCounty, andspecificallynamesthe northeastshoreline,theWebster wellfield,DevilsCove/Helds Cove, thesoutheastslopesinPenfield, theEmpireBlvd.MudFlats,the southwestslopesinIrondequoit, andtheIrondequoitCreek areainBrightonandPenfieldas environmentallysensitivesites.

Pg 38

Irondequoit Bay Harbor Management Plan: 2003


IrondequoitBayhasbeendesignatedaClassI wetland,thehighestvalue.Theweighing standardforClassIwetlandsstatesthata reductioninthebenefitsprovidedis acceptableonlyinthemostunusual circumstances.Further,Apermitwillbeissued onlyifitisdeterminedthattheproposedactivity satisfiedacompellingeconomicor socialneedthatclearlyandsubstantially outweighsthelossofordetrimenttothe benefits(s)oftheClassIwetland.Indiscussing thespecificstandards,itisstatedthat thevastmajorityofactivitiesthatcouldnotavoid reducingabenefitprovidedbyaClass Iwetlandwouldnotbeapproved.Further,the definitionofcompellingeconomicor socialneedisthattheproposedactivitycarries morethanasenseofdesirabilityor urgency,butofactualnecessity;thatthe proposedactivitymustbedone;thatitis unavoidable.

Pg 56

Town of Webster Comprehensive Plan: 2008

Pg 36&39

Town of Webster Comprehensive Plan: 2008

Pg 36&39

Town of Webster Comprehensive Plan

Well Field Parcels

DeepGully

WXXIDishandAntenna MainBuildings

MCWATank

=Private

=MonroeCounty

=VillageofWebster

=RG&E

Town of Webster Local Waterfront Revitalization Program

Town of Webster Local Waterfront Revitalization Program

However,becausethesitehasbeen subdividedintoseveralsmallparcelsand becauseownershipoftheseparcelsisinthe handsofmanydifferentindividuals,aswellas theTownandtheCountygovernments, acquisitionandassemblyofthesitefor developmentwillbeverydifficultandtime consuming.

Pg II24&26

Town of Webster Local Waterfront Revitalization Program


ThesectionsoftheBaydesignatedas significantwetlandhabitatsarescatteredeast sidecovesalongtheBayfrontage:He1dsCove; StonyPointandsouthshoreline;northeast embayment;and,thesiteoftheWebster VillageWellfield.TheseBayareasare particularlyuniquebecausetheyareareaswith anoverlapofwetland,uplandandopenwater covertypeswhichprovideimportanthabitatfor fishandwildlifepopulations. Anactioninandaroundwetlandscanoccur onlywhenithasbeenestablishedthatsuchan actionistheonlyreasonablealternativeto accomplishtheapplicant'sobjectives; minimizesdegradationto,orlossof,anypart ofthewetland;iscompatiblewiththepublic healthandwelfare;andsatisfies acompellingeconomicorsocialneed.

Pg III41

Town of Webster Local Waterfront Revitalization Program

Pg II37

Town Zoning is R-3

Town Zoning is R-3

TownR3hasthegreatestdensity ofanysinglefamilyresidential zone

Well Field Parcels Overlay

Well Field Parcels - Overlay

Estimated Value of Well Field Land

$1.7million
ValueisfromPresentationbySuperintendentSwingly toVillageBoard

BUT MAYBE NOT

Summary
Thelocationofthewellfieldsis inahighlysignificant environmentalzoneincludinga designatedwetlandarea,ahigh erosionareaandasensitive ecologicalarea. TheVillageownedpropertyisone ofthelastopenspaceareasnorth ofthe104expressway. Theareaisspecificallymentioned asagreenprintpropertyinthe TownComprehensivePlan. Thesestudiesindicatethe complexity ofdevelopingthe Villagewellfields.

One More Important consideration

Village Comprehensive Plan: 2011


TheVillage ComprehensivePlan specificallycallsfor installingawater treatmentsystematthe Villagewaterplantto lowerhardnesslevels. Providesobjectivesto marketanduseVillage watersuchasdirect cooling,food preparation,and breweries

Quick Photo Tour: Early April hike, 2012

Questions or Comments?
When the well's dry, we know the worth of water
BenjaminFranklin

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