A34-Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, November 21, 1992 Groundwater Protection More Than A Fence Around The Wellhead (Continued from Pago Al) tion techniques at the Lancaster Groundwater Policy Education Project Conference on Tuesday. The conference drew about 150 representatives from fanning and other industries, as well as munici pal planners and engineers, to speak about the importance of groundwater hydrology and protection. Nelson said that the issue must be dealt with locally, because groundwater protection “cuts across municipal boundaries.” He explained an array of techniques that could be used to plan and implement wellhead protection strategies that can be used in increasing order of complexity and cost Groundwater quality Nelson provided examples of communities in several areas of central Pennsylvania and the east ern shore of Virginia that imple ment strategies that have done quite a lot of improve groundwater quality. Nelson emphasized the need to understand the complete hydrolog ical makeup of the land, possible threats at die land surface (includ ing stored material), historical threats from past or future land uses, zoning areas and how they impinge on groundwater protec tion, and to properly identify pos sible future threats. Nelson said that underground storage tanks, used at gas stations, have been identified as the number one threat to water quality, accord ing to the Department of Environ mental Resources (DER). Other threats include mixing sites for pesticides and fertilizers, landfills, septic tank systems (which, according to Nelson, contribute largely to nitrate pollution in groundwater), and other sources of contamination. But all concerns should be site- Atlantic Dairy Cooperative ADC recognized the Ranks as a founding member fami lies: Ray, Rhonda Elisa, Reba, Beth, Ginny, Ruth, Ryan, Rob, Don, and Lloyd Ranck. Founding member families Included: Karl Beegle, Marjor ie Beegle, Michael Behrer, Linda Behrer, Bernice Behrer, John Behrer, and Ivo Otto. legist from Horsley Witten Hegemann, Inc., Cambridge, Mass., spoke about tools for groundwater and wellhead protection techniques at the Lancaster Groundwater Poll* cy Education Project Confer ence on Tuesday. specific and need to be treated accordingly. Currents understandable Groundwater currents and flow are completely understandable to those who want to plan wellhead locations, according to Dr. Walter Ebaugh, president of Nittany Geosciences, Inc., State College. Ebaugh explained basic ground water hydrology and the impor tance of knowing where the groundwater originates and how it flows. Ebaugh also explained the dif ferences between the water-table well (which is located at the base flow of the water table, according to specific site) and artesian wells ' 4 ' r . Virginia Thompson, chief of the groundwater protec tion section of the ERA Reg* lon 111, spoke about examples of local cooperative efforts that aided In the study and improvement of groundwater quality. (which are located deep in the earth, in the layers of limestone in this region). The direction and rate of water flow is calculable and the loca tions of wells can sometimes be determined accurately from photo surveys conducted by aircraft. The location of a well must take in many factors, including the layout of the land, which provide reliable clues to how groundwater origi nates and flows. In planning a wellhead, the * ‘cone of depression,” or area sur rounding the wellhead, affects on groundwater flow. When the well is located down a slope to a stream or waterway, the groundwater tends to follow the layout of the (Continued from Pag* Al 6) zabeth Morris 111 of Chestertown, Md.; Ivo and Gladys Ott Jr. of Car lisle; Elmer S. and Vera Pettit of Woodstown, NJ.; Michael and Beverly Phillip of Kennedyville, Md.' Donald and Virginia Ranck of Paradise; J.Ray and Reba Ranck of Paradise; W. Irvin and Alice Schwaninger and Levin and Catherine Schwainger of Trappe, Md.; Paul and Nancy Semmel of Schnecksville; Thomas and Cindy Sheaffer of Carlisle; Andrew and Lucielle Stoltzfus of Morgantown; Ethel Varner and Lee Varner of Hesston; George and Evelyn Wil liams of Woodstown, NJ.; Harry and Elizabeth Willaims of Worton, Md; and Jesse and Patricia Wood of Nottingham. standable to those who want to plan wellhead locations, according to Dr. Walter Ebaugh, president of Nittany Geos ciences, Inc. land, and ultimately feeds the baseflow of a stream. When a well is in place, the water is often driven away from the stream baseflow into the cone of depression and up through the well. Proper location Some of the problems that well head managers may see can be pre vented by the proper location of the well. Ebaugh also presented ways to solve problems when well water becomes contaminated, including direct source removal, containing and isolation, fixation, or by bioremediation (using bac teria to clean up toxic chemicals that may be present in wells). Virginia Thompson, chief of the groundwater protection section of EPA Region HI. spoke about examples of local cooperative efforts that aided in the study and improvement of groundwater England, Andrew and Lucille Stoltzfus, William J. Dietrich, Beatrice V. Dietrich, William Brlnsfield, Kathryn Brinsfleld, Mildred Harrop, David R. Harrop, and William Brinsfleld, Jr. For their continuous membership In the cooperative since 1917, ADC honored these founding member families: Brad Morris, P. Thomas Mason, Elizabeth Williams, Eli zabeth H. Morris, Alice Mason, Diana C. Hoopes, Julia Gib boney, Harry T. Williams, Walter T. Morris, 111, C. Barclay Hoopes Jr., Stephen L. Glbboney. quality. Thompson said that “ground water flows among municipali ties,” and that, for any groundwa ter quality program to work, “per severancer and the spirit of cooperation are required.” Thompson spoke about the Pequea-Mill Creek project and the Rural Clean Water Program pro jects recently undertaken in Lan caster County and the reasons for their success. “Water quality pro tection is not easy to do if not all of the people are involved, ’ ’ she said. “The more people that are involved in the beginning, the more successful your efforts will be.” The conference also featured workshops that allowed groups from various municipalties to share their problems and ways of working toward groundwater solutions.
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