Geyser is bucking containment, but not pulling county purse strings

NILAND — For the time being, the impact of a geyser north of here is not expected directly to affect the county budget. Meanwhile, nature is doing its best to resist man’s efforts to contain it.

Last week the Imperial County Board of Supervisors approved the declaration of an emergency at their June 26 meeting due to a geyser here that has been making its way toward Pacific Union Railroad infrastructure and Highway 111.

It has been releasing carbon dioxide and is still located 0.6 miles from the highway.

“Work is continuing at the site,” said Maria Peinado, Imperial County public health information officer. “On Saturday afternoon, as work continued at the geyser, a pressure pocket was encountered. This resulted in some drilling mud mixture being discharged into the Niland lateral drain, and clean-up measures were quickly put in place.”

The State Water Board and Imperial Irrigation District were notified of the discharge, and Union Pacific Railroad ceased work at the site until equipment was cleaned and reset, Peinado said.

The site was evaluated for the need for different drilling equipment to continue the work.

A hazardous materials team has been on site since June 28, continuously monitoring air quality.

Carbon dioxide levels in the area continue to fluctuate, at times to unsafe levels. “However, there is no danger outside the immediate work site,” Peinado said. “State Route 111 is open to traffic and Caltrans has not announced any closure of SR-111,” according to Caltrans.

“If for some reason the geyser cannot be diverted, State Route 111 may be closed for safety reasons. The public will receive a notice if any closure of SR111 becomes necessary,” said Ed Joyce, public information officer Caltrans District 11, San Diego.

As of now, Peinado said there has not been much change to the geyser.

The current cost of damage made be the geyser is unknown, but the repair being made is not coming out of county budget. “Union Pacific representatives have shared that Union Pacific Railroad is leading current on-site operations and has not requested any monetary assistance from anyone else while the situation is on their property,” Peinado said.

Union Pacific RailRoad is working on both shortterm and long-term plans to fix this geyser,

“Union Pacific representatives have shared that currently, and the short-term plan is to drill relief wells near the geyser to divert and relieve some of the pressure from the geyser,” Peinado said. “A long-term plan will be developed as they have more information and through additional observation during the relief well drilling operations. Their goal is protect assets that seem to be in the natural path of the geyser.”