Planning for Groundwater in Planning for Groundwater in Lafayette CountyLafayette County

August 2, 2006August 2, 2006

Who are we?Who are we?

Lynn Markham,Lynn Markham, Land Use Specialist, Center for Land Use Specialist, Center for Land Use Education, UW-ExtensionLand Use Education, UW-Extension

Dave Johnson,Dave Johnson, Hydrogeologist, Wisconsin Hydrogeologist, Wisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesDepartment of Natural Resources

Other people who contributed to reportOther people who contributed to report Ken Bradbury and Dave Hart, Wisconsin Geological and Ken Bradbury and Dave Hart, Wisconsin Geological and

Natural History Survey, UW-ExtensionNatural History Survey, UW-Extension Dave Lindorff, WDNRDave Lindorff, WDNR Kevin Masarik, Central Wisconsin Groundwater CenterKevin Masarik, Central Wisconsin Groundwater Center Chuck Dunning and Cheryl Buchwald, U.S. Geological Chuck Dunning and Cheryl Buchwald, U.S. Geological

SurveySurvey Ed Morse, Wisconsin Rural Water AssociationEd Morse, Wisconsin Rural Water Association

Tonight’s program…Tonight’s program…

IntroductionsIntroductions Groundwater susceptibilityGroundwater susceptibility Groundwater qualityGroundwater quality Groundwater quantityGroundwater quantity Planning tools for groundwaterPlanning tools for groundwater

Groundwater is an Groundwater is an important resourceimportant resource

100% of drinking water 100% of drinking water for people in Lafayette for people in Lafayette County is groundwaterCounty is groundwater

7,600 county residents get municipal 7,600 county residents get municipal water that is tested regularly & must water that is tested regularly & must meet health standardsmeet health standards

8,700 county residents get water from 8,700 county residents get water from private wells with no requirements or private wells with no requirements or guarantee of safetyguarantee of safety

Common Questions Common Questions about Groundwaterabout Groundwater

Is my water safe to drink Is my water safe to drink and will it continue to be and will it continue to be safe?safe?

Will my lake, river, stream Will my lake, river, stream dry up due to pumping or dry up due to pumping or development?development?

Will there be enough water Will there be enough water for everyone to use?for everyone to use?

Groundwater is connected to Groundwater is connected to streams and lakesstreams and lakes

Recharge Recharge Groundwater Flow Groundwater Flow Discharge to Wells or Surface WatersDischarge to Wells or Surface Waters

Groundwater susceptibility to Groundwater susceptibility to contaminantscontaminants

Thin soils on Thin soils on top of top of fractured fractured bedrock bedrock areas make areas make most most groundwater groundwater highly highly susceptible susceptible to to contaminaticontaminationon

Groundwater qualityGroundwater quality 55% of samples

higher than natural levels

19% over the health standard

Nitrate can dangerously reduce the amount of oxygen in the blood of infants under 6 months.

It may also be toxic to aquatic wildlife.

Groundwater qualityGroundwater quality

Nitrate Exceedences

% Nitrate % Nitrate ExceedencesExceedences::

0 0 -- 5 %5 %

5.1 5.1 -- 10 %10 %

10.1 10.1 -- 15 %15 %

> 15 %> 15 %

Lafayette Private wells wo/ high value

0

10

20

30

40

8/11/1987 5/7/1990 1/31/1993 10/28/1995 7/24/1998 4/19/2001 1/14/2004 10/10/2006 7/6/2009

Date

Nit

rate

pp

m

Extremely high nitrate samples decreasing since 1995 due primarily to deeper wells.

Lafayette County nitrate exceedences are higher than most other counties

Water qualityWater qualityAtrazine prohibition areas (gray) due to atrazine

levels exceeding the safe drinking water standard

Groundwater qualityGroundwater quality60% of samples had detectable levels of atrazine

and 3.5% had triazine levels over the safe drinking water standard

Lafayette County Triazine Samples

Sources of potential Sources of potential contaminantscontaminants

MiningMining Unused wellsUnused wells Hazardous Hazardous

substancessubstances Septic Septic

systemssystems CAFOsCAFOs

Groundwater quantityGroundwater quantity

Water Use Lafayette County

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005

Mill

ion

s o

f G

allo

ns

per

Day

TOTAL

Agriculture (non-Irr)

Domestic and losses

Public and Losses

Industrial

Commercial

Irrigation

Total water use has decreased by approximately 25% Non-irrigated ag was the largest water user and decreased use by

28%

Groundwater quantityGroundwater quantity

Most of the 22 dry wells (blue dots) are located near the watershed boundaries.

Groundwater quantity issues are unlikely to be a major concern.

Groundwater planning Groundwater planning recommendationsrecommendations

Increase discussion about groundwater

Hire local government staff and consultants that value groundwater

Provide education about the costs of groundwater contamination and depletion

Provide education to help plan writers better interpret and use groundwater information

Improve the accessibility of groundwater data to plan writers

Provide funding to support further groundwater studies

Possible groundwater goalsPossible groundwater goals

Protect groundwater quality in private and municipal wells in the county.

Determine what pesticides are being used and where. Test wells in these areas for pesticides and their metabolites.

Keep concentrations or nitrate and pesticides below their drinking water standards in wells.

Existing groundwater policies Existing groundwater policies in Lafayette Countyin Lafayette County

Policies are actions used to accomplish goals.

1. Atrazine prohibition areas

Existing groundwater policies Existing groundwater policies in Lafayette Countyin Lafayette County

2. Wellhead protection plans and management steps

Common policies to protect Common policies to protect groundwater in rural agricultural groundwater in rural agricultural

areasareas

Wellhead protection ordinances

Manure storage ordinances

Zoning ordinances separating housing from land uses likely to contaminate groundwater and/or providing standards to contain potential contaminants

Subdivision ordinances to provide adequate space for private sewage systems and/or encourage community sewage treatment systems

Possible policy listPossible policy list

Policy example: cropping Policy example: cropping agreementsagreements

City of Waupaca has 2 wells in an agricultural City of Waupaca has 2 wells in an agricultural areaarea

Nitrate levels are close to the health standardNitrate levels are close to the health standard

Adopted wellhead protection ordinance and Adopted wellhead protection ordinance and installed monitoring wellsinstalled monitoring wells

Wanted to be proactive and reduce nitrate Wanted to be proactive and reduce nitrate applicationapplication

Policy example: cropping Policy example: cropping agreementsagreements

Decided to reward farmers for Decided to reward farmers for growing less nitrogen growing less nitrogen demanding cropsdemanding crops $20 per acre per year to grow $20 per acre per year to grow

soybeanssoybeans Paid for custom harvestingPaid for custom harvesting $25 per load of manure hauled $25 per load of manure hauled

out of the recharge area out of the recharge area

Started in 1997Started in 1997

Policy example: cropping Policy example: cropping agreementsagreements

3 parcels & 550 acres enrolled now highlighted in yellow

What next?What next?1.1. Start the conversation Start the conversation

about groundwater in your about groundwater in your communitycommunity

2.2. Develop groundwater goalsDevelop groundwater goals

3.3. Choose a few policies to get Choose a few policies to get started on to protect started on to protect groundwater for future groundwater for future generations.generations.

Thank youThank you

Any Questions?Any Questions?

GeologyGeologySilurian dolomite

Maquoketa shale

Sinnipee group (dolomite)

Ancell group (sandstone)

Prairie du Chien group (dolomite)

Map is for educational purposes only

GeologyGeology

Map is for educational purposes only. Site specific conditions may differ significantly from this map.

Which way does groundwater Which way does groundwater run?run?