Fieldwork Activities in 2026

Aurora Water and its contractors will be conducting a variety of fieldwork activities in 2026. These activities will include non-invasive surveys and geotechnical fieldwork this year for the proposed Wild Horse South Reservoir site, proposed pipelines, and potential road realignments. These activities will enable us to gather the information required for the environmental reviews, permitting processes, and infrastructure design.

Cultural survey at the Wild Horse South Reservoir site in 2025.

Non-Invasive Surveys (April–October)

The non-invasive environmental and cultural surveys will primarily involve visual evaluations and will not damage property or involve any ground disturbance. The environmental surveys will be identifying and mapping wetlands, wildlife habitats, vegetation, and more in the area. The cultural surveys will be examining the area for historical or archaeological significance by identifying artifacts, structures, or other culturally important features.

As part of the cultural surveys, crews will be photographing potentially historic buildings and structures within seven miles of the Wild Horse Reservoir Project site. Field crews will be driving vehicles marked “Tetra Tech” and will stay on public roads. These vehicles may be driving slowly, with hazards on, or parked on the side of a road. Vehicles may pass some properties repeatedly over the course of the survey.

Metes and bounds survey work will also be conducted using more traditional on-the-ground survey equipment. These surveys are also non-invasive.

Geotechnical Drilling (May–October)

Drill rig conducting geotechnical testing in 2025.

The geotechnical fieldwork will include drilling into the ground to determine the types of soils, rocks, and subsurface geology that exist at the site. Large equipment, such as drill rigs, may be visible. Boreholes are three inches in diameter and will be filled in upon completion leaving minimal evidence of disturbance. Understanding the soils, rocks, and subsurface geology will help us to assess constructability and identify any potential constraints during the design phase.

Property Owners

This work will occur on private properties, and owner’s permission has been requested. Thank you to all the property owners that have already returned your permission-to-enter-property forms. More information can also be found on the Working with Landowners webpage.

If you have any questions regarding the surveys or fieldwork that will occur this year, or would like to report a concern with the fieldwork activities, please email us at WildHorseReservoir@auroragov.org.