1. What Do You Know About Michigan’s Hidden Resource?
All photos by Joan Schumaker Chadde, Western Upper Peninsula Center for Science, Mathematics and Environmental Education, unless noted otherwise. All groundwater diagrams by Lyle S. Raymond, Center for the Environment, Cornell University.
All Michigan maps of groundwater contamination by Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (09/05).

2. 1. What is Groundwater ?
Water that fills the spaces between soil and rock particles.
The % of the spaces that are filled with water = porosity

3. 2. Where is groundwater? Groundwater is found in that have an adequate
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
that have an adequate
quantity and movement of
water to supply wells and
springs.
Bedrock
Limestone
Layered soil

4. 3. How does it get there?

5. 4. How fast does it flow? (= permeability)
Silt & clay
Slow
Gravel
Fast
Sand
Medium
Which material is better for your well?
Which is better for lining a landfill?

6. 5. How is groundwater connected to surface water?

7. Groundwater is a major source of water to the Great Lakes.
Ground water in blue
Holtschlag, D.J., and Nicholas, J.R., 1998, Indirect ground-water discharge to the Great Lakes: U.S. Geological Survey, Open-File Report , 25 p.

8. 6. How is groundwater used?
Drinking water for 50% of Michigan and U.S. residents (private wells and public drinking water).
Irrigation
Industry
Recreation and tourism

9. Drilling a new well
Photo credits: Dr. Alex Mayer, Dept. of Geological Sciences &
Engineering, Michigan Technological Institute

10. Michigan Groundwater Use in 2004
Millions of Gallons % Total Use
Public water supply %
Domestic (private) wells %
Golf Courses %
Irrigation %
Industry _89 13%
Total %
Source: Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Water Use Reporting Program (2004)

11. 7. What do we call the area affected by a pumping well?

12. 8. What activities can contaminate groundwater?
Leaking Underground Storage Tanks (UST) at gasoline stations are a major source of groundwater contamination. In Michigan alone, there are 19,832 leaking underground storage tanks as of September 2005! The owner of this gas station is replacing the old tank with a new double-walled tank to prevent possible groundwater contamination in the future.

13. Concentrated animal feeding operations have the potential
to contaminate groundwater with nitrates and bacteria.
Photo credit: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Marquette County

14. Other sources of Groundwater Contamination:
Nitrate fertilizer used on cropland and lawns
Industrial releases
Leaking landfills
Chemical transportation spills
Fuel spills
Illegal waste disposal

15. 9. How can we protect groundwater from contamination?
This person is using a baler to obtain a
sample of groundwater for water quality testing.
Photo credit: U.P. Engineers & Architects, Inc.

16. Wellhead Protection Areas – are established to prevent potential contamination from reaching the area of groundwater that flows to a city drinking water well.
(Source: Breitung Township and U.P. Engineers & Architects, Inc. )

17. Educate community residents about groundwater protection.

18. 10. Can groundwater be cleaned up?
Bioremediation – bacteria can actually eat the contaminants! Ever hear of oil-eating bacteria? Nutrients are added to grow more bacteria.
Pump and treat – the contaminated water is removed. Now all of that water must be cleaned!
Air sparging – air is pulled through the groundwater, and the contaminants move into the air.
Why should we be concerned about groundwater quality in Michigan?

19. Important Groundwater Facts
50% of Michigan residents USE groundwater for drinking and household needs through public or private wells.
Groundwater IS NOT an underground river, but fills the spaces between soil and rock particles.
Groundwater MOVES…….
Groundwater IS CONNECTED to the surface water in rivers and lakes. A groundwater use will always have an effect on a surface-water body, though the effect may be too small to measure.
Remember: If you don’t want to drink it,
DON’T PUT IT ON THE GROUND!

20. Equipment Used in Groundwater Monitoring
Pump test
Slotted PVC pipe for
groundwater sampling
Photo credits: Dr. Alex Mayer, Dept. of Geological Sciences & Engineering, Michigan Technological Institute

21. Equipment Used in Groundwater Monitoring
Louvered metal screen that allows
Groundwater to enter, and not
Earth materials.
Baler for getting a
groundwater sample
Photo credits: Dr. Alex Mayer, Dept. of Geological Sciences & Engineering, Michigan Technological Institute

22. Equipment Used in Groundwater Monitoring
Measures Depth to Groundwater
Submersible Pump for removing
contaminated groundwater…
Photo credits: Dr. Alex Mayer, Dept. of Geological Sciences & Engineering, Michigan Technological Institute