Northern Lancaster County Groundwater Study: a Resource Evaluation of the Manheim–Lititz and Ephrata Area Groundwater Basins
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NORTHERN LANCASTER COUNTY GROUNDWATER STUDY: A RESOURCE EVALUATION OF THE MANHEIM–LITITZ AND EPHRATA AREA GROUNDWATER BASINS Publication No. 235 September 21, 2005 Robert E. Edwards, P.G. Special Projects Manager Watershed Assessment and Protection Program Robert D. Pody, P.G Hydrologist Water Resources Management Program This report is prepared in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, under the Growing Greener Grant ME3521029. SUSQUEHANNA RIVER BASIN COMMISSION Paul O. Swartz, Executive Director Denise M. Sheehan, N.Y. Commissioner Kenneth P. Lynch, N.Y. Alternate Scott J. Foti, N.Y. Alternate/Advisor Kathleen A. McGinty, Pa. Commissioner Cathy Curran Myers, Pa. Alternate William A. Gast, Pa. Alternate/Advisor Kendl P. Philbrick, Md. Commissioner Doctor Robert M. Summers, Md. Alternate Matthew G. Pajerowski, Md. Alternate/Advisor Brigadier General Meredith W.B. Temple, U.S. Commissioner Colonel Robert J. Davis, Jr., U.S. Alternate Colonel Francis X. Kosich, U.S. Alternate Daniel M. Bierly, U.S. Advisor The Susquehanna River Basin Commission was created as an independent agency by a federal-interstate compact* among the states of Maryland, New York, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the federal government. In creating the Commission, the Congress and state legislatures formally recognized the water resources of the Susquehanna River Basin as a regional asset vested with local, state, and national interests for which all the parties share responsibility. As the single federal-interstate water resources agency with basinwide authority, the Commission's goal is to coordinate the planning, conservation, management, utilization, development and control of basin water resources among the public and private sectors. *Statutory Citations: Federal - Pub. L. 91-575, 84 Stat. 1509 (December 1970); Maryland - Natural Resources Sec. 8-301 (Michie 1974); New York - ECL Sec. 21-1301 (McKinney 1973); and Pennsylvania - 32 P.S. 820.1 (Supp. 1976). This report is available on our website (www.SRBC.net) by selecting Public Information/Technical Reports. For a CD Rom contact the Susquehanna River Basin Commission, 1721 N. Front Street, Harrisburg, Pa. 17102-2391, (717) 238-0423, FAX (717) 238-2436, E-mail: [email protected]. TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................ 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................ 11 Purpose and Scope ................................................................................................................ 11 Location and Geographic Setting.......................................................................................... 11 GROUNDWATER BASICS ........................................................................................................ 14 PREVIOUS INVESTIGATIONS................................................................................................. 16 HYDROGEOLOGIC SETTING .................................................................................................. 17 Physiography......................................................................................................................... 17 Stratigraphy........................................................................................................................... 17 Geologic Structure ................................................................................................................ 20 Groundwater Flow Types ..................................................................................................... 20 Porous media..................................................................................................................... 20 Fractures............................................................................................................................ 21 Karst/conduit..................................................................................................................... 22 GROUNDWATER FLOW........................................................................................................... 23 Water Table Mapping ........................................................................................................... 23 Surface Water, Base Flow, and Groundwater....................................................................... 24 Streamflow Measurements.................................................................................................... 24 Groundwater and Surface Water Interactions....................................................................... 27 Overall Hydrogeologic Setting ............................................................................................. 28 Hydrogeologic Terrains ........................................................................................................ 30 GROUNDWATER RESOURCE EVALUATION ...................................................................... 32 The Hydrologic Cycle........................................................................................................... 32 Groundwater Recharge Estimated from Base Flow.............................................................. 34 Base flow .......................................................................................................................... 34 Recharge estimation methodology.................................................................................... 35 Accuracy of recharge estimates ........................................................................................ 36 Groundwater resource availability.................................................................................... 37 Passby requirement ........................................................................................................... 37 WATER USE ............................................................................................................................... 39 Information Sources and Methodology ................................................................................ 39 Year 2000 Water Use and Allocated Water vs. Resource Availability ................................ 42 Projected Water Demand vs. Availability............................................................................. 44 CRITICAL AQUIFER RECHARGE AREAS ............................................................................. 47 Dry Valleys ........................................................................................................................... 48 Losing Stream Reaches......................................................................................................... 48 Siliciclastic to Carbonate Stream Crossings ......................................................................... 49 Karst Modified Uplands........................................................................................................ 49 WATER QUALITY...................................................................................................................... 49 Specific Conductance............................................................................................................ 49 Nitrate ................................................................................................................................... 50 WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS........................................... 53 Management.......................................................................................................................... 53 The Commission ............................................................................................................... 53 i The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ............................................................................... 55 Local government ............................................................................................................. 57 Recommendations................................................................................................................. 64 Issue: Overall reduction of infiltration and groundwater recharge.................................. 64 Issue: Excess withdrawal of groundwater in potentially stressed areas (PSAs).............. 66 Issue: Overall increase in water use................................................................................. 68 Issue: Consistency among municipal ordinances ............................................................ 70 SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................... 70 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................. 73 TABLES Table 1. Stratigraphy and Lithologic Characteristics of Formations in the Study Area............19 Table 2. Summary of Groundwater Contributions to Streamflow for Select Watersheds of the Lower Susquehanna River Basin.......................................................................34 Table 3. Average Annual Recharge for Selected Recurrence Intervals for Geologic Formations within the Study Area ...............................................................................35 Table 4. Water Availability in Million Gallons per Year for the Study Area and Select Sub-Areas.....................................................................................................................37