MARCH 12, 2010 A.D.            NEWS            SOUTHERN LEHIGH TRIBUNE

Quarry Projections Incorrect, Says Expert

By Judd Wilson

LOWER MILFORD -- An expert hydrogeologist told the zoning hearing board here Feb. 23 that the Geryville Materials quarry will create a huge pool overflowing into the Hosensack Creek.

Val Britton, principal scientist at the Exton, Pa. NTH Consultants office, said that while the modeling done by Geryville Materials witnesses was done well, the simulation parameters were “constructed erroneously” and gave a wrong picture of what would happen if the quarry began operations.

Using ModFlow modeling developed by the U.S. Geological Survey to simulate the infiltration of water into the ground, Britton predicted that 25 gallons of water would stay above ground each minute that quarry sumps pumped groundwater out of the proposed quarry site and onto the ground elsewhere, creating a large area of swampy or pond-like conditions. That doesn’t even include the effect of rainwater, he added.

What’s more, he explained, is that the resulting body of water would wash debris into the Hosensack Creek, which runs through the proposed quarry site. Therefore, whatever is on the ground in that swampy area created by the excess water would potentially flow down into the Hosensack and on through the rest of the Upper Perkiomen Watershed.

Britton then presented photographic evidence that a large, illegal dump used to exist in a deep ravine on the site. According to Britton, he learned from Robert Krauss and township files that in 1966 “the Fretz dump”, as solicitor Mark Cappuccio called it, opened in Lower Milford. The 10- to 20- foot deep ravine was too steep to be farmed, and was thus utilized for dumping. Fires occasionally broke out there and it got the attention of the state Department of Environmental Protection, Britton said.

While a 1942 aerial photo clearly showed the ravine’s contour lines on the ground, a 2010 Google Maps aerial photo of the site showed no ravine at all. One way or another, the ravine has been replaced by flat land.

The excess water pumped out of the Geryville Materials quarry would overflow the site, said Britton, washing contaminants, volatiles, and more into the Hosensack. “We don’t know what’s in the dump,” he said.

Lower Milford resident Ron Tomes said it was “refreshing to hear a good witness who’s agreeing with us for a change.” Britton examined the same evidence as Geryville Materials’ witnesses, he said, but reached a completely different conclusion. Vicki Lightcap, supporter of Lower Milford Residents’ Association's fight against the quarry, called Britton’s testimony an “extremely positive” development for Lower Milford residents and the township zoning ordinance.

The next Lower Milford Township Zoning Hearing Board meeting is scheduled for March 23 at 6:30 p.m. at the Township Municipal Building.