BACOG WATER RESOURCES INITIATIVE
Reports & Articles
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Groundwater Resource Planning – Defining the Shallow Aquifer
System
Kurt O. Thomsen, PhD., P.G.; Janet Agnoletti; and Connie L. Pokorny
This paper was presented at the Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI)
International User Conference and published in the conference proceedings. The paper outline the process and methodology
developed by the water resources initiative and details the use of Geographical
Information Systems (GIS), a computer mapping and data management system, used
to define the shallow aquifer system. By
defining the shallow aquifer system, BACOG is very close to being able to
describe existing groundwater resources, posit the relationship of groundwater
to surface waters, project the development and population growth that will
occur in the region to build-out, analyze the sustainability of that
development by existing groundwater resources, and provide recommendations to
governments for protecting sensitive environments and aquifer recharge areas
along with public education/conservation programs. The papers focus on the
local planning framework for conducting this research and strategies and
methodologies for data collection and analysis.
Part 1 - Report PDF
Part 2 - Figures PDF |
Illinois State Geological Survey to Begin Mapping the BACOG Area - April 2004
The
Barrington Area Council of Governments (BACOG) is pleased to announce
the Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS) will be conducting
geological mapping of the Barrington area beginning this summer in
support of the groundwater research underway at BACOG. The ISGS will be
using the process of natural gamma logging, a type of downhole
geophysical logging, to map the geological structure of this region.
BACOG will be working with the ISGS through reciprocal data sharing.
Christopher
Stohr, Ph.D., Engineering Geologist for the Illinois State Geological
Survey (ISGS) gave a presentation on downhole geophysical logging, and
addressed the use of Global Positioning Systems (GPS) in the project at
the April 27, 2004 BACOG Executive Board Meeting.
Geologic
and aquifer mapping is vitally important to the protection of the
region's limited shallow groundwater resources. The ISGS will collect
information by lowering a sensitive Geiger counter-like device into a
well to measure the small amounts of natural radiation of sediments
before a pump is installed in a newly-drilled well. The measurements
reveal the physical characteristics of the ground below. Natural
gamma-ray logs are becoming an important source of geologic data for
understanding the regional and local glacial geology and its
hydrogeological interpretation.
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| Dr. Christopher Stohr with some of the equipment used for downhole geophysical logging. |
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| ISWS team measuring a local well for its water resources study. |
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Measuring Up for the Future - June 26, 2003
The BACOG Water Resources Committee (WRC) is working with the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS), an agency of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, on a water resources study. One facet of the project involves mapping the potentiometric surfaces - i.e., water level surfaces - of the shallow aquifers in the BACOG area. Committee members and BACOG staff have been searching for area residents to volunteer their wells for the study. Each well will be opened twice by ISWS hydrogeologists, once this summer and once in the fall, and its water measurement taken. Information obtained from those wells will be shared with the BACOG Water Resources Committee to be included in its study.
The water level measurements will generate important baseline data that has numerous applications for future studies. such as creating aquifer models. Future levels may be compared with the baselines determined from this study. For example, potentiometric surfaces change continuously, and in many cases the only way to demonstrate a change in ground water levels brought about by development pressures, climate change, or other stresses is to compare potentiometric surface maps constructed at different dates. Future water levels may be compared to the baseline developed under this study to identify water usage trends and/or problems.
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