More blasts set for Airport Hill
By Terry Murry on Tuesday, May 31st, 2022 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
PENDLETON – A test blast conducted on Airport Hill last week was successful and Public Works Director Bob Patterson reports shaking was felt in the vicinity of the site of the new water reservoir and booster pump station near the Eastern Oregon Regional Airport. More blasts are planned.
A second test blast is set for between noon and 2 p.m. tomorrow (Wednesday). Similar results are expected with minimal ground shaking outside the local vicinity. The two test blasts are to assist Aggregate Resource Drilling for full-scale blasting next week.
Larger scale blasts will be performed between noon and 4 p.m. June 6-9 if necessary. Ground vibration is likely to be felt at the west end of Pendleton and may be felt throughout the community. Patterson said it could take up to four blasts, one each day, to break of the basalt rock to prepare the site for excavation to build the new reservoir and booster pump station. The company believes next week’s blasting will only take two to three days.
The blasting will complete one of the first stages of the $10.5 million project to improve water pressure and storage on the west side of the city. It includes a 2 million gallon welded steel reservoir and a booster pump station. The project is part of Pendleton’s master plan which was adopted in 2015. When complete, it will replace the 1940s-vintage storage reservoirs and booster stations.
