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OUTLINE

Using Groundwater Information in Sustainable Planning By: Alison Teetor Natural Resource Planner Clarke County Virginia October 28, 2008. OUTLINE. General Information Background – local land use planning efforts Groundwater Quality Current Efforts to better Understand

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OUTLINE

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  1. Using Groundwater Information in Sustainable PlanningBy: Alison TeetorNatural Resource PlannerClarke County VirginiaOctober 28, 2008

  2. OUTLINE • General Information • Background – local land use planning efforts Groundwater Quality • Current Efforts to better Understand Groundwater Quantity • How we are using our Groundwater Data • Next Steps (Future Needs)

  3. General Information • 174 Square miles or 110,000 acres • Population – ~ 14,000 • County Seat - Berryville

  4. ClarkeCounty Regional Setting Washington DC

  5. GENERAL GEOLOGY

  6. Background Local Land Use Planning Efforts

  7. PLANNING & ZONING Comprehensive Plan “Protect natural resources, including soil, water, air, scenery, wildlife habitats, and fragile ecosystemsthrough the following policies, the Water Resources Plan, and other adopted policies.”

  8. HISTORY OF GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION Since late 60’s Clarke County has had a History of groundwater Contamination: - Berryville's wells - Pine Grove, White Post– petroleum contamination - coliform, septic fields - development Problems prompt Study: USGS Dye Tracing Water testing

  9. GROUNDWATER • 75% of County uses groundwater • Issues Quality and Quantity

  10. GROUNDWATER PROTECTION PLAN Implementation: - 1987 Septic Ordinance - 1987 Sinkhole Ordinance - 1991 Well Ordinance Enabling legislation: Virginia Code Section 15.2-1200 – General Powers of Counties “Any county may adopt such measures as it deems expedient to secure and promote the health, safety and general welfare of its inhabitants…adoption of regulations for the prevention of the pollution to water…”

  11. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), septic systems are the most frequently reported sources of groundwater contamination in the nation. Septic Ordinance – Adopted 1987 County recognizes sensitive geology - increased state requirements - 100% reserve area - not on > 25% slopes - increased setbacks from wells, streams

  12. RESISTIVITY TESTING

  13. Well Ordinance • Keep contaminants from getting into wells • Minimum casing and grout to 50 feet • Setback from drainfields, termite treated homes, streams, petroleum storage tanks

  14. GROUNDWATER • Previous studies – contamination from coliform, nitrates • USGS study – How much water is available for development?

  15. Current Efforts to Better Understand Groundwater Quantity

  16. USGS Study • Contracted with USGS 6 year study – 2002-2008 • Initiated because of: - Drought - Development pressures • Objective To improve understanding of aquifer systems to effectively develop and manage them as sustainable water supplies.

  17. Implementing Components • Hydrogeologic Framework • Ground-water Flow System • Water Budget

  18. Blandy Farm – Long Term Monitoring Well Real-time Monitoring – Blandy Well

  19. How are we Using our Groundwater Data

  20. Hydrogeologic Framework 1

  21. Hydrogeologic Framework

  22. Water quality (including aquifer susceptibility)) Age Dating

  23. Spring NEXT STEPS (Future Needs)

  24. Understanding Aquifers • Where is the water? • Are some areas better suited for development? • What are the groundwater flow patterns?

  25. Water Budgets • Water budgets developed as a result of the study will be used to: • Provide an understanding of the magnitude and use of water within each subbasin. • Identify subbasins where sufficient • ground water resources are available to • support all or a portion of projected • future water demand. • Identify subbasins where ground water • resources may already be stressed or • approaching stressed conditions.

  26. Develop well regulations requiring minimum • depth • yield • pump depth requirements • Update the Water Resource Plan • reorganizing based on watersheds • addressing ground & surface components within each basin; and • incorporating the available USGS data.

  27. QUESTIONS? Contact information Alison Teetor Natural Resource Planner 102 N. Church St. Berryville, VA 22611 (540) 955-5134 ateetor@clarkecounty.gov

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