Maryland: America in miniature

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Maryland America in miniature
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Coastal Plain groundwater characteristics

• Unconsolidated sediments
• Confined aquifers
• Usually high well yields

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Components of Groundwater Flow
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Groundwater withdrawals in Southern Maryland
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Water Levels in Aquia Aquiferin Southern
Maryland, 1980-2004
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Potential consequences of declining groundwater
levels

• Greater pump lift, higher energy costs.
• Failed wells (telescoping).
• Exceedence of management levels
• Brackish-water intrusion
• Contaminant migration
• Land subsidence
• Reduced baseflow to streams
• Altered wetland ecology

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Groundwater Flow Modeling
Finite-difference approach Predictive capabilities
Model calibration critical cant be done without
historical water-level data!
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Sowhat do these declining water levels mean?
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Summary of model results for critical locations
in Charles County, 2030
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Groundwater Quality in the Maryland Coastal Plain

• Spatially variable due to
• Complex flow systems
• Variable and complex mineralogy
• Land use in recharge area
• Oxidation-reduction reactions

• Limits on use due to
• Health issues (arsenic, radium)
• Aesthetics (pH, iron)
• Unsuitability for particular uses (many
  constituents)

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Groundwater Quality
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Regional groundwater quality issues in Maryland
Radon
Radium
Arsenic
Brackish-water intrusion
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Brackish-water intrusion
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Arsenic in Aquia/Piney Point aquifers
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Radium in Potomac Group/Magothy aquifers
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Maryland Coastal Plain Regional Aquifer
Assessment

• Recommended by Governors Advisory Committee
• Funded through Governors Water-Supply
  Initiative
• Current partners
• Maryland Department of Environment
• Maryland Geological Survey
• U.S. Geological Survey
• Start-up in 2006 multi-year effort