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From the sandy Eastern Shore to the craggy Appalachian Plateau, scientists and engineers are taking stock of Maryland’s water supply to help ensure that a growing thirst for water won’t leave the resource depleted.
MDE is funding studies of water resources and using the information as it comes in to help manage water use throughout the state. The studies are evaluating conditions and trends in both of Maryland’s geological halves: the Coastal Plain and the Fractured-Rock regions.
The Coastal Plain
The 2008 report of the Maryland Advisory Committee on the Management and Protection of the State’s Water Resources identified the need for a comprehensive assessment of groundwater resources in the Maryland Coastal Plain, where the population is expected to grow by 44 percent between 2002 and 2030 and significant increases in agricultural irrigation are projected. Withdrawals from the confined aquifers of the Coastal Plain in southern Maryland and the Eastern Shore have caused water levels in some aquifers to decline by tens to hundreds of feet from their original levels, with future declines likely if patterns of usage remain the same. The study will provide a more comprehensive understanding of how the various aquifers interact, and the potential impacts of withdrawals so that the sustainable yields of the aquifer systems are better defined and can be managed so our water supplies are protected.
MDE has provided funding to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Maryland Geological Survey (MGS) to complete work on the first of three phases of a study and begin work on the second phase. In the first phase, USGS and MGS developed a geographically based aquifer information system (CP-AIS) that defines the structure and characteristics of the coastal plain aquifers and provides locations of wells and associated data. In order to refine the information in the AIS, 18 new wells were constructed. A regional groundwater flow model is in the works that will allow staff to evaluate and compare various withdrawal scenarios in order to optimize use of the aquifer system. This will assist MDE to make sound management decisions and appropriately evaluate water withdrawal requests. The study will also examine water quality in the aquifers and map areas of elevated contaminants for public health protection.
The Fractured-Rock region
The Advisory Committee on Water Resources also saw the need for a study in the part of Maryland underlain by fractured-bedrock aquifers – essentially the area north and west of Interstate 95. In this part of Maryland, groundwater is unconfined, meaning that water levels respond directly to the amount and timing of rainfall that infiltrates through the soil. Because of this direct connection, surface water supplies and the fractured rock aquifers are more susceptible to droughts than the aquifers of the Coastal Plain.
In the initial phase of the Fractured-Rock project, the USGS and MGS focused on Frederick County and adjacent areas as part of a pilot study for the larger project. They are reviewing the hydrology and geology of the area and are collecting information on well yields, aquifer characteristics, stream flow and water use. The aquifer information system (FR-AIS) developed for the pilot area has been expanded for the entire area west of that I-95 Fall Line. This study will eventually correlate stream flow data with biological studies conducted by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to assess the impacts of withdrawals on aquatic resources. The potential impact of hydraulic-fracturing on drinking water will be studied. In addition, the study will evaluate criteria that can be used to help local jurisdictions locate higher-yielding wells.
Putting the findings to use
Further studies, which could continue through 2017, are dependent on available funding. Meanwhile, MDE is already putting initial findings to use, including the aquifer information systems that aid in the decision-making process for water appropriation permit applications.
As more information is unearthed, MDE will obtain the information and tools necessary to determine whether there is adequate water quantity and quality to support growth in a given location.
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