Groundwater Protection: Sustainability in the Face of Development

Cassandra McKinney WaterCon2011

EVAPORATION TRANSPIRATION CONDENSATION PRECIPITATION RUNOFF INFILTRATION GROUNDWATER SURFACE WATER WETLANDS/FENS Cassandra McKinney WaterCon2011

60% of your body 70% of your brain 80% of your blood Cassandra McKinney WaterCon2011

While you can survive almost a month without food…

You can’t survive one week without water! Cassandra McKinney WaterCon2011

http://www.ienearth.org/water.html http://flowingdata.com/2010/04/01/discuss-drinkable-water-in-the-world/ Cassandra McKinney WaterCon2011

Overuse Irrigation Impervious Surfaces Urban Sprawl Cassandra McKinney WaterCon2011

2000-2009 World Water Conflicts
Drought and water inequities spark killings in India (2009) Water clashes kill 40 in Kenya and Ethiopia (2006) Mexican farmers shot in duel over spring (2004) Information from the Pacific Institute: http://www.worldwater.org/conflict/map/ Terrorists Target Water Systems (2002) Cassandra McKinney WaterCon2011

Water Quality & Quantity Concerns

McHenry County is solely dependant on groundwater for all of its potable water needs
Adequate groundwater quantity and quality is essential to the present and future well being of McHenry County agriculturalists, residents and businesses.
The groundwater supply is:
Limited
Vulnerable to pollution
Is being mismanaged

Year Million gallons per day 34.6 51 67.5 120 160 180 LRI Projected Use ~ Sustainable Yield MRI Projected Use Max Comprehensive Plan LRI – less resource intensive MRI – more resource intensive Projected population growth of ~200,000 by 2030 Cassandra McKinney WaterCon2011

Municipal Water Supplies 40 km Water Supply: 100% Groundwater ~60% Sand and Gravel Cassandra McKinney WaterCon2011

McHenry County Water Supply Projections Cassandra McKinney WaterCon2011

No Water
Sound & Healthy Economy
Healthy Environment
Natural Areas Thrive
High Quality of Life
Sustainable & Safe Water Supply
Sprawl Water Supply Planing No Water Supply Planning
Loss of Jobs, Retail & Industry
Degraded Natural Areas & Loss of Open Space
Loss of Agriculture
Decreased Quality of Life
Decreased Property Values
Stagnation
What about Public Safety and Fire Protection? Smart Growth Cassandra McKinney WaterCon2011

Why is it that water takes up
70% of the earth’s surface and 60% of our bodies , yet so little of our thinking?
Imagine turning water problems into opportunities!

Create a Program to:
Protect and preserve the
quantity and quality
of groundwater for our generation and future generations, including the built and natural environment
Cassandra McKinney McHenry County Water Resources

Integrated Water Resources 7 Step Planning Process Integrated Water Resource Planning (Palmer and Lundberg 2003) Identify Problems and Opportunities Create a Planning Team Inventories and Forecasting Formulating Alternative Plans Evaluating Alternative Plans Ranking Alternative Plans Plan Implementation Cassandra McKinney WaterCon2011

Integrated Water Resources Planning
Encourages cooperative planning
Scientific Understanding
Reasonable / Attainable Goals
Planning “Team”:
government leaders & regional partners,
business and industry,
agriculture, nurseries, sod farms
special interest groups,
residents
Shared Vision = Common Goals

Manage supply and demand
Plan for growth and drought
Utilize water conservation programs
Value the land and treat water in all its forms as a resource !
Stormwater, Groundwater, Surface Water, Wetlands… they are all part of the water cycle and natural water balance.
Consider all your “ development ” options
Open space, agriculture, pervious pavement, raingardens, parks, conservation design developments, buffer strips, and more...
Increase access to recycling centers
Educate, Educate, Educate!!!

Water Resources Action Plan:
Quality
Pollution Prevention
Sensible Salting
Quantity
Water Conservation
Conservation Design
Quantity & Quality
Groundwater Recharge
Protection of Water Dependent Ecosystems
Wastewater
Water Supply Planning
Drought Preparedness
Contingency Planning
Education Cassandra McKinney WaterCon2011

Scientific Research
Symposiums, Workshops, and other Educational Offerings
Municipal
Public
Adult Education
Youth Education
Private Business Owners
Agriculture, turf management, snow operators and more…
Municipal and County-Board Buy-in

Geological Fieldwork
ISGS Drilling (08-09)
USACE (2008)
Previous Drilling
Geophysics

Geologic Core Drilling Drilling Geophysics Cassandra McKinney WaterCon2011

Visualization topography

Visualization roads

Visualization soils

Visualization Geology/field

Visualization Aerial photos Prairieview Education Center Route 176 Behan Road

Visualization subsurface

McHenry County Bedrock Surface Key: Yellow units are aquifer units All Other colors are non-aquifer units – usually tills.

McHenry County Lowermost Sand/Gravel Aquifer Key: Yellow units are aquifer units All Other colors are non-aquifer units – usually tills.

McHenry County Oldest glacial till non-aquifer Key: Yellow units are aquifer units All Other colors are non-aquifer units – usually tills.

McHenry County Middle Sand/Gravel Aquifer Key: Yellow units are aquifer units All Other colors are non-aquifer units – usually tills.

McHenry County Major non-aquifer confining unit in the County (Tiskilwa Till) Key: Yellow units are aquifer units All other colors are non-aquifer units – usually tills.

McHenry County Minor non-aquifer confining unit (Yorkville till) Key: Yellow units are aquifer units All other colors are non-aquifer units – usually tills.

McHenry County Major shallow aquifer unit Key: Yellow units are aquifer units All other colors are non-aquifer units – usually tills.

McHenry County Major shallow mixed aquifer/non-aquifer unit Key: Yellow units are aquifer units All other colors are non-aquifer units – usually tills.

McHenry County Modern shallow aquifer/non aquifer materials-youngest stuff Key: Yellow units are aquifer units All Other colors are non-aquifer units – usually tills.

Example: Detailed 3D Hydrogeologic Mapping in Lake County, IL Central Great Lakes Geologic Mapping Coalition Project, ISGS Jason Thomason, Ardith Hansel, Mike Barnhardt, Barb Stiff, Steve Brown, Andy Stumpf Note : yellows (sand and gravel; aquifers) greens and purples (clay rich units; aquitards) Bedrock Land Surface Cassandra McKinney WaterCon2011

DESCRIPTION:
Latitude 42°28'44.84", Longitude 88°28'53.85" NAD83 Mchenry County, Illinois, Hydrologic Unit 07120006
Well depth: 120.6 feet Hole depth: 234 feet Land surface altitude: 949feet above sea level NAVD88. Well completed in "Sand and gravel aquifers (glaciated regions)" (N100GLCIAL) national aquifer. Well completed in "Quaternary System" (110QRNR) local aquifer

Preliminary Water Quality Data
High Iron Countywide
Low Chlorides in 38 of 41 wells
Overall pretty good water quality
High nitrates in 2 wells
Arsenic of concern in 20% of wells
No VOC’s really of concern in any of the observation wells

Illinois State Water Survey
Colored drawdown map for different degrees of drawdown

Sensitive Aquifer Recharge Areas Map

Public and Private Sector
Environmental Impacts
Storage
Handling
Application Rates
Material Options
Anti-icing
De-icing
Winter Snow and Ice Operations – Training and Certification Cassandra McKinney WaterCon2011

In partnership with:
Local Law Enforcement
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
Open to all county “residents” –
Not open to physicians, nursing homes, or pharmacies
Free anonymous disposal of:
Most controlled and uncontrolled pharmaceuticals
Most over the counter remedies
Medication Disposal Program Cassandra McKinney WaterCon2011

Partners in Paint Recycling
Household Hazardous Waste Disposal
McHenry County Schools Environmental Education Program
2 nd & 8 th Grade – Water Lessons instructed by professional staff
K-12 lessons available on www.mchenryh2o.com
In Development:
Turf Management Workshop

Ordinance Development
Contingency Planning and Mutual Aid Planning Assistance
Access to and explanation of Scientific Research Results
Educational Brochures
Training Programs by Request
Sampling of Additional Assistance Available to Local, Regional and State Governments Cassandra McKinney WaterCon2011

Water Resources Action Plan
Model policies and ordinances
Children’s Activities
Teacher Lesson Plans
Brochures
Groundwater Research
Newspaper Articles
www.mchenryh2o.com Cassandra McKinney WaterCon2011

Best Practices alone are not enough.
When planning, utilize a holistic approach, consider existing plans, and value the land and our water resources!
Be a part of the solution, every drop counts!

Questions? “ We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.” Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac

Cassandra McKinney Water Resources Manager - Division of Water Resources McHenry County Government 2200 N. Seminary Avenue Woodstock, IL 60098-2637 Phone: (815) 334-4213, Fax: (815) 338-3991 clmckinney@co.mchenry.il.us www.mchenryh2o.com

ABSTRACT Over the past two decades, McHenry County, Illinois has been one of the fastest growing counties in the State of Illinois. In addition, the County is solely dependent on groundwater for its drinking water resource, with no other options available. From 2000 to 2030, McHenry County’s population (current population 310,000) is expected to grow by 190,000. In the year 2000, water use in the county amounted to an annual average of 34.6 million gallons per day (mgd). By 2030, average annual water use is estimated to almost double to 67.5 mgd. With this tremendous growth, water shortages are forecasted as early as 2020 in portions of the county and groundwater degradation is already occurring. In addition to groundwater being the only viable drinking water resource for McHenry County, groundwater protection is a challenge because the State of Illinois follows the doctrine of reasonable use. With the absence of statutory authority, counties are unable to enforce groundwater ordinances in areas other than the unincorporated. The impending water shortages and the lack of statutory authority prompted the creation of a Water Resource Manager position to utilize the cooperative planning process to coordinate the development of a multi-faceted, inter-governmental Water Resources Action Plan. People are more likely to support that which they create. Over the past two years, the cooperative planning process undertaken encouraged the involvement of government leaders, regional partners, special interest groups and citizens in the development of a county-wide groundwater protection program. This program uniquely seeks to address quantity and quality in one comprehensive program with the underlying goal “to provide a sustainable and safe water supply for current and future generations, including the built and natural environments.” The Water Resources Action Plan was completed in October 2009 and will assist in assuring our growing population an adequate, sustainable supply of safe water in the future. Finally, the impending water shortages also prompted the county to spearhead further scientific research on the sustainability of the groundwater resource. Therefore, the County has undertaken multiple scientific research projects: Three-dimensional Geological Mapping, Hydrological Flow Modeling, and a Real-time Observation Well Network, to support the Water Resources Action Plan and assist stakeholders in making timely management decisions.

Groundwater Protection: Sustainability in the Face of Development

by CLMcKinney

Accessibility

Upload Details

Usage Rights

Statistics

Groundwater Protection: Sustainability in the Face of Development Presentation Transcript