CORVALLIS — A proposed subdivision that would add high-end housing to what is traditionally agricultural in Ravalli County has area residents concerned about the availability of their water — and how safe it is.
The proposed Sapphire Heights Subdivision is a 12-lot major subdivision on 121 acres with lot sizes ranging from five to 20 acres. Construction would directly affect water flow and require a change in water rights among residents in the area that have stood for over 100 years.
Alan Maki's family has lived on land near the proposed development for several generations.
“Their point of diversion is above ours and we’ll have a harder time getting our water which we make a living off of. The neighbors are going to be negatively affected because the groundwater is just not available in the area as well," Maki said. "They already have cisterns there’s already wells that have been re-drilled it costs a lot of money to drill a well to not even know if you’re going to get water again.”
However, the concerns about flow and water rights have not gone unnoticed by Ravalli County and the developers.
“The owners and consultants of the project did resubmit last month regarding the use of cisterns and limiting the amount of water that gets pulled out of those wells for each one of those wells and having a combination of a well and a cistern to at least address the low-flow wells out there, Ravalli County Director of Environmental Health Placio Ravalli stated.
Along with the resident's concerns about the amount of water they will get to use on their property, they are also concerned about whether it will be safe to use.
The subdivision sits on bedrock that when disrupted could release dangerous amounts of naturally occurring arsenic into the water supply of the neighbors who live downstream from the project.
Ravalli County officials and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality have not yet found a solution to this issue but are working to get an expert to assess the severity of this issue.
“Every single public comment that I’ve received whether through the planning department or directly to me, with regard to water quality,” Placio said. “I have forwarded to the state and I spoke with their DEQ Bureau Chief for subdivision last month — I believe it was, and they are having the non-degradation, water quality and the water availability reviewed by their hydrogeologist.”
Residents can make public comments with the Ravalli County Planning Department at a meeting that will be held at 7 p.m. in the Hamilton City Council Chambers on Wednesday, January 3, 2024.
