Proposed Independent Groundwater Study for Rocking Star Ranch and the Horse Creek Power Plant

S.S. Papadopulos & Associates (SSP&A), an environmental and water-resources consulting firm, prepared this August 24, 2026 proposal to evaluate whether potential industrial groundwater pumping at the proposed Horse Creek gas plant could affect domestic wells in Rocking Star Ranch. The firm has already reviewed neighborhood well information, the High Plains Aquifer, USGS monitoring data, local geology and hydrogeology, and mapped nearby domestic wells and aquifer conditions. The proposed first phase would compile and interpret available data and provide a professional assessment of whether additional groundwater analysis is warranted.

This would be one of the first independent technical studies focused specifically on protecting neighborhood water supplies before the Horse Creek project moves forward. The initial study is estimated at approximately $7,300; if warranted, a more quantitative screening analysis could follow for approximately $30,000, with a detailed groundwater-flow model potentially costing $100,000–$150,000. The goal is to establish what is actually known about the groundwater beneath our neighborhood and determine whether future industrial pumping could affect residential wells—giving residents credible scientific information rather than having to rely on assumptions thus allowing us to fight back during the 60 day public comment period which is our only opportunity.

Professional Consultant Proposal — Independent Hydrogeologic Study