The History of Hydrogeology in Norway – Part II
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INNSENDTE ARTIKLER The History of Hydrogeology in Norway – Part II Av Kim Rudolph-Lund, Editor with contributions from: Bioforsk, Holymoor Consultancy, NGU, NGI, NIVA, NVE, SWECO, UMB Kim Rudolph-Lund er fagleder Grunnvann og hydrogeologi ved NGI og IAH- Board Member. Introduksjon og sammendrag Dette er andre del av en artikkel opprin- kontrast til 13 % som faktisk benyttet nelig ment for en bok, ”History of hydro- grunnvann på den tiden. geology”, som skulle inneholde tilsva- Sentre for forskning og konsulent- rende artikler fra flere land. Bokprosjektet virksomhet innenfor hydrogeology ble er foreløpig lagt på is. Del I av artikkelen, etablert i denne perioden samtidig som som omhandler utviklingen frem til ca flere utdanningsinstitusjoner utviklet ut- 1950, ble presentert i forrige nummer av danningstilbud innenfor faget på alle VANN. nivåer, også doktorgradsnivå. De omfat- Tidlige aktiviteter rundt boring av tende aktivitetene i fagmiljøer som brønner for vannforsyning til gårdsbruk Noteby og NGI var et klart uttrykk for en og lokalsamfunn ga med tiden en forstå- økende anerkjennelse av hydrogeologi else av hydrogeologi som vitenskap. som et viktig fagområde. Denne aktiviteten ble etter hvert utvidet og institusjonalisert av myndighetene. Abstract Siden 50-tallet var NGU den domine- The early development of hydrogeology rende drivende kraft bak utviklingen av was one of necessity. The art of drilling hydrogeologi som fagfelt i Norge, ofte i wells to supply groundwater to farms samarbeid med NVE og NLH. På 70- og and communities gradually included an 80-tallet ble det gjennomført omfattende understanding of the science of hydro- grunnvannskartlegging med tanke på geology. This activity was expanded and vannforsyning til kommuner flere steder institutionalized by national authorities. I landet. Kartleggingen indikerte at 25 til Since the 1950’s, NGU was the dominant 30 % av Norges befolkning kunne få sin driving force behind the expansion of vannforsyning fra grunnvann. Dette i hydrogeology, often working with NVE VANN I 04 2010 507 INNSENDTE ARTIKLER and NLH. Major groundwater mapping It was hoped that young Skjeseth was the programs were conducted during the right man to reign in the increasing costs 1970’s and 1980’s, supplying ground- of the burgeoning drilling program. water to large municipalities around the How ever, Skjeseth soon proved to be country. Results from studies indicated more interested in developing the new that 25 to 30 percent of Norway’s popu- science of hydrogeology rather than lation could be supplied with ground- limiting the associated costs of drilling. water, in contrast to the 13 percent which The end result, nevertheless, was that the was using groundwater at the time. hydrogeology section at NGU, with its Centers of hydrogeology study, new leader, increased the focus on and research and consulting were established raised the standards for the new science around the country during the 1970’s of hydrogeology in Norway. and 1980’s when the higher institutions By 1958 over 600 new wells were dril- of learning began offering advanced de- led annually in Norway. The knowledge grees in hydrogeology. Activities at the garnered during the well drilling opera- large public consulting companies, notably tions was deemed so important that a Noteby and NGI, represented the expan- new initiative was taken to start the pu- ding recognition of hydrogeology as an blication series “Notes from the water important earth science. drilling archives”. In all 14 separate mono logues were published in this series, The Geological Survey the last one being published as late as of Norway 1966 (Meddelelser fra vannborings- The new science of hydrogeology arkivet, Nr. 1-14). In 1951 the Geological Survey of Nor- way (NGU), established in Oslo in 1858, began a new program led by Per Holm- sen examining the results from well dril- ling by NDDC in Norway. In 1952 a well drilling register was established after the Danish pattern. By 1958 the number of registered drillings in bedrock had reached 3000. The average depth of the drillings was 40 m, but some reached as deep as 226 m; 90% of the drillings were in southern Norway. Steinar Skjeseth, a paleontologist by trade, took over the new Hydrogeology Figure 3. S. Skjeseth (right) performing a Section in 1953, after NGU Director pumping test in the field. Notice his Føyn expressed his dissatisfaction with attire which was considered appropriate the mounting drilling costs, see figure 3. at the time. 508 VANN I 04 2010 INNSENDTE ARTIKLER NGU moves – hydrogeologists stay wells using casing. None of these 100 behind mm diameter wells used filters. In this The decision to move NGU from Oslo to same year two new wells were drilled in Trondheim was taken by the Norwegian unconsolidated sediments: one for Rena Government on February 28, 1957. There Packaging Factory, and one at Sagtjernet was some indecision as to whether NGU for Elverum Municipality. Norsk Dyp- should move to the Norwegian Institute brønnsboring successfully installed the of Technology (NTH) or to a new build- wells using available material and equip- ing that would be constructed at Øst- ment. The wells were drilled using an marka in Trondheim. The Ministry of arm attached to a tractor which drove Industry finally decided on May 14, 1957 back and fourth. The work was extremely that NGU should be moved to the new difficult in the rocky soil. But with the building. In fall 1961 the move was com- successful completion of these two wells, pleted, however not all of the employees a new unique era began for Norwegian moved to Trondheim. The Hydrogeology water supply that, especially for the Section, with its five professionals, re- eastern Norway region, lasted until 1985. mained in Oslo. It was reasoned that Drilling after water in bedrock became since most of the well boreholes were a common strategy for water supply by drilled in southern Norway, it would be the end of the 1950’s. At the farming more practical to keep the section in exhibition at Ekeberg in 1959, the Hydro- Oslo, close to the action. geology Section participated by drilling The Hydrogeology Section was headed a well to 70 m in order to supply water to by Skjeseth and had five employees. Skje- the farmers at the exhibition. seth was known as a driven professional, In addition to constantly updating a gifted lecturer, intensive and outgoing. and analyzing the data in their drilled He continuously tried to transfer his well register, from 1960 to 1970 NGU fo- own knowledge over to not only his fel- cused increased attention on finding the low hydrogeologists, but other professio- best locations for water wells. This resul- nal groups he came in contact with ted in groundwater being quickly accep- during his work. Skjeseth’s enthusiasm ted as a viable alternative to surface water. often took over hand it is reported, being This new acceptance, for using ground- often a test in knowledge as well as endu- water produced from sand and gravel rance. Two things Skjeseth emphasized aquifers, applied not only to small coun- were: make observations and solutions try villages, but also to towns and cities. together, and immerse yourself in the In the Hydrogeology Section, the facts in order to understand the pro- number of employees increased with the blem. By the end of the 1950’s, Skjeseth work load. A new move saw the section and two other employees were working sharing offices with the hydrogeological full time with bedrock wells. section of the Norwegian Water Resources In 1958 there were only 15 bedrock and Energy Directorate in the summer VANN I 04 2010 509 INNSENDTE ARTIKLER of 1977. The number of employees at this maps with bedrock geology where detai- new “Oslo office” grew to 18 by 1984, 12 led fault analysis and registered data of these worked for Hydrogeology Section. from drilled water wells gave the basis By this time water supply studies had for the interpretation of expected water topped one hundred, with over half of yield from bedrock locations. NGU per- these being conducted for the local formed test drilling in selected areas muni cipalities. with unconsolidated sediments, and yields greater than that from bedrock Groundwater mapping were indicated on the maps. Because of International Hydrological Decade the high cost of producing the maps due During the International Hydrological to extensive field and interpretation Decade (IHD), a program running from work, their production was ultimately 1965 to 1974 conducted under the auspices discontinued by the survey. of the United Nations, the Norwegian national IHD committee started ground- Groundwater resource mapping water level measurements in three “re- At about the same time, the survey be- presentative basins”: Filefjell (high gan producing another series of ground- mountain terrain with a thin soil cover water resource maps called ”Ground wa- of till), Sagelva (a thick soil cover of till) ter in unconsolidated sediments” at M and Romerike (lowland terrain with gla- 1:50 000, the so called “blue series”. Despite cifluvial deposits). Particular emphasis its title, this was a series of black and was given to the Romerike area where white maps, with descriptions, that groundwater was plentiful and of econo- synthe sized the results from earlier mic importance. NGU coordinated acti- groundwater surveys in unconsolidated vities and was active in data collection sediments within map quadrangles. The and analysis. At the end of the IHD pe- earlier results were supplemented with riod, the Romerike drainage basin had new field assessments and exploratory all together three recording gauges, about drillings to characterize the potential 180 tubes and about 20 wells used for re- groundwater quantity and quality in cording groundwater levels. sand and gravel deposits. The map text in the blue series com- Hydrogeological mapping prised a general description of ground- In addition to NGU’s consulting for the water and a special section about the public, the production of groundwater possibilities for extracted groundwater maps gradually became an important from unconsolidated sediments, along activity at the survey.