A science plan for a comprehensive assessment of water supply in the region underlain by fractured rock in Maryland

Fleming, Brandon J.; Hammond, Patrick A.; Stranko, Scott A.; Duigon, Mark T.; Kasraei, Saeid

doi:10.3133/sir20125160

Cited by 2 publications

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“…The management of the Maryland Departments of Natural Resources and the Environment provided support during the implementation of the test and analysis procedures used in the present study. The study was partially funded by the Maryland Department of the Environment and fulfills part of one of the objectives of a cooperative regional water-supply study in the fractured-rock areas of Maryland, details of which are contained in the USGS Science Plan, SIR 2012-5160, Fleming et al (2012). The consulting community conducted the tests and submitted much of the data in electronic form.…”

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Reliable yields of public water-supply wells in the fractured-rock aquifers of central Maryland, USA

Hammond¹

2017

Hydrogeol J

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Most studies of fractured-rock aquifers are about analytical models used for evaluating aquifer tests or numerical methods for describing groundwater flow, but there have been few investigations on how to estimate the reliable long-term drought yields of individual hard-rock wells. During the drought period of 1998 to 2002, many municipal water suppliers in the Piedmont/Blue Ridge areas of central Maryland (USA) had to institute water restrictions due to declining well yields. Previous estimates of the yields of those wells were commonly based on extrapolating drawdowns, measured during short-term singlewell hydraulic pumping tests, to the first primary water-bearing fracture in a well. The extrapolations were often made from pseudo-equilibrium phases, frequently resulting in substantially over-estimated well yields. The methods developed in the present study to predict yields consist of extrapolating drawdown data from infinite acting radial flow periods or by fitting type curves of other conceptual models to the data, using diagnostic plots, inverse analysis and derivative analysis. Available drawdowns were determined by the positions of transition zones in crystalline rocks or thin-bedded consolidated sandstone/limestone layers (reservoir rocks). Aquifer dewatering effects were detected by type-curve matching of step-test data or by breaks in the drawdown curves constructed from hydraulic tests. Operational data were then used to confirm the predicted yields and compared to regional groundwater levels to determine seasonal variations in well yields. Such well yield estimates are needed by hydrogeologists and water engineers for the engineering design of water systems, but should be verified by the collection of longterm monitoring data.

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Reliable yields of public water-supply wells in the fractured-rock aquifers of central Maryland, USA

Hammond¹

2017

Hydrogeol J

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“…In response to recommendations from the committee, the Maryland Geological Survey (MGS) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), with input from the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), developed a plan to provide new scientifi c information and new data-management and analysis tools for the state to use in allocating groundwater in the Coastal Plain Province (Shedlock et al, 2007). A similar effort was undertaken in the fractured rock area in the central and western portion of Maryland (Fleming et al, 2012). The primary objective of this effort was the development of the GIS-based Maryland Coastal Plain Aquifer Information System (MCPAIS), a desktop tool used by water regulators and managers for accessing basic groundwater data for the assessment of GAPs.…”

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The Maryland Coastal Plain Aquifer Information System: A GIS-based tool for assessing groundwater resources

Andreasen

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Staley

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Geoscience for the Public Good and Global Development: Toward a Sustainable Future

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Groundwater is the source of drinking water for ~1.4 million people in the Coastal Plain Province of Maryland (USA). In addition, groundwater is essential for commercial, industrial, and agricultural uses. Approximately 0.757 × 10 9 L d -1 (200 million gallons/d) were withdrawn in 2010. As a result of decades of withdrawals from the coastal plain confi ned aquifers, groundwater levels have declined by as much as 70 m (230 ft) from estimated prepumping levels. Other issues posing challenges to long-term groundwater sustainability include degraded water quality from both man-made and natural sources, reduced stream base fl ow, land subsidence, and changing recharge patterns (drought) caused by climate change. In Maryland, groundwater supply is managed primarily by the Maryland Department of the Environment, which seeks to balance reasonable use of the resource with long-term sustainability. The chief goal of groundwater management in Maryland is to ensure safe and adequate supplies for all current and future users through the implementation of appropriate usage, planning, and conservation policies. To assist in that effort, the geographic information system (GIS)-based Maryland Coastal Plain Aquifer Information System was developed as a tool to help water managers access and visualize groundwater data for use in the evaluation of groundwater allocation and use permits. The system, contained within an ESRI ArcMap desktop environment, includes both interpreted and basic data for 16 aquifers and 14 confi ning units. Data map layers include aquifer and confi ning

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A science plan for a comprehensive assessment of water supply in the region underlain by fractured rock in Maryland

Cited by 2 publications

References 34 publications

Reliable yields of public water-supply wells in the fractured-rock aquifers of central Maryland, USA

Reliable yields of public water-supply wells in the fractured-rock aquifers of central Maryland, USA

The Maryland Coastal Plain Aquifer Information System: A GIS-based tool for assessing groundwater resources

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