Status of Groundwater Management in Baldwin County

Alabama Water Resources Conference

September 6, 2012

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Conrad A. Gazzier and Dale Hardin

AbstractAbstract

 Baldwin Co. is blessed with large quantities of high quality groundwater within the A2 and A3 aquifers. These coastal aquifers are used by public water supplies, farmers, and residents. The source of recharge for these aquifers lies outside the county, even outside the State of Alabama, and require regional and intrastate management. This presentation describes the efforts already underway by local water users to manage their common resource. In the absence of state-level water management, Gulf Shores Utilities and Riviera Utilities sponsored their own evaluations of the aquifer systems used for public supply. In 2009, Gulf Shores Utilities began construction of an observation/monitoring well network to continuously monitor potentiometric heads in the A2 and A3 aquifers. These wells, together with observation wells provided by Riviera Utilities, Orange Beach Utilities, Perdido Bay Water Authority, and private individuals were used to prepare the first detailed potentiometric maps of those aquifers in south Baldwin County. With time, the observation/monitoring wells have provided valuable information on the seasonal variation and impacts of withdrawals on these aquifers. Concurrent with the efforts of the Gulf Shores Utilities, Riviera Utilities sponsored an evaluation of the aquifer geometry that led to the further definition of the A2 and A3 aquifers and confirmed their fluvial origins. Many fluvial channels have been roughly identified and will be further defined in future studies such as a proposed area-wide seismic investigation. The saltwater/freshwater interfaces for these aquifers lie down gradient along the coast or in the Gulf of Mexico. Gulf Shores Utilities has spearheaded the effort to locate and monitor the saltwater/freshwater interface in their jurisdiction and has obtained preliminary results. These wells will be continuously observed and sampled for water quality annually. Concurrent with these independent investigations, Riviera Utilities and Gulf Shores Utilities initiated meetings among all the public water utilities to begin to coordinate and manage their common water supply. As a result, the Baldwin County Water Distributors Association, Inc. was established to coordinate the further evaluation of the groundwater resource and manage its use in the future for the combined benefit of all the utilities. This water management group meets quarterly to learn more about the resource from speakers and to discuss the mutual coordination of the use of the resource. Their intent is to bring the major agricultural water users into the organization this year. BCWDA have been visionary in their approach to managing our coastal aquifers and are actively expanding their knowledge through construction of additional observation and monitoring wells and promoting more detailed investigations of the aquifer. BCWDA anticipates that Montgomery’s latest water management initiative will provide recognition and support for an ongoing program that can evolve into a regional water management strategy for Alabama’s coastal aquifers and rivers.

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After : Gillett and others, 1994

Baldwin County Aquifers

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Orth test well west of Foley

Location of Cross-Sections

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Known and Prospective A2 – A3 Channel Sand Fairways

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Cross Section from Orth Test Well to GSU Office Monitoring Well Cluster

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Cross-Section GSU Tank to FBE Deep Monitor

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Cross Section from GSU Tank Observation Well to Office Monitor Well Cluster

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Cross-Section GSU Tank to PB-3Cross-Section GSU Tank to PB-3(Ft. Morgan Peninsula to Lillian and Perdido (Ft. Morgan Peninsula to Lillian and Perdido

Bay)Bay)

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A2 Aquifer Definition (Upper/Lower/Terrace)A2 Aquifer Definition (Upper/Lower/Terrace) A3 Upper/Lower Aquifer Mapping and A3 Upper/Lower Aquifer Mapping and

Recharge Area IDRecharge Area ID Marine Aquifer Mapping and Recharge Area Marine Aquifer Mapping and Recharge Area

IDID Water Quality IssuesWater Quality Issues

o Aquifer Contamination (Nitrates)Aquifer Contamination (Nitrates)o NORMNORMo Saltwater IntrusionSaltwater Intrusion

Issues Requiring Further StudyIssues Requiring Further Study

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