Agricultural Chemicals in Rural, Private Wells in Illinois. Champaign
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CHARACTERIZATION OF THE STUDY AREAS FOR THE PILOT STUDY: AGRICULTURAL CHEMICALS IN RURAL, PRIVATE WELLS IN ILLINOIS Edited by Michael L. Barnhardt, ISGS Edward Mehnert, ISGS Chittaranjan Ray, ISWS Susan C. Schock, ISWS 1992 Cooperative Groundwater Report 15 Illinois State Geological Survey 615 East Peabody Drive Champaign, Illinois 61820 Illinois State Water Survey 2204 Griffith Drive Champaign, Illinois 61820 CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 3 1 INTRODUCTION 5 E. Mehnert and M. L. Barnhardt 2 METHODOLOGY 7 M. L. Barnhardt, C. Ray, M. R. Greenpool, and W. S. Dey LAND USE 7 Data Sources 7 HYDROLOGY 7 Data Sources 8 Groundwater Recharge Estimates 8 Groundwater Use Calculations 9 AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES 9 Data Sources 9 GEOLOGY AND HYDROGEOLOGY 9 Data Sources 9 Geographic Information System and Map Production 10 Limitations of Data 12 3 CHARACTERIZATION OVERVIEW 13 M. L. Barnhardt, C. Ray, and W. S. Dey INTRODUCTION 13 LAND USE 13 Surface Water Hydrology 15 Climate 15 AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES 15 Agroclimatic and General Soil Conditions 15 Tillage and Conservation Practices 17 Unique Characteristics of the Study Areas 17 Potential Sources of Contamination 18 GEOLOGY AND HYDROGEOLOGY 19 Introduction 19 Potential Contamination of Shallow Aquifers 19 Drift Thickness and Bedrock Topography Maps 19 Variety of Geologic Materials 23 Need for Geologic Characterizations 23 GROUNDWATER HYDROLOGY 23 Aquifer Properties 25 Withdrawal Rates . 25 Recharge Rates 25 4 CHARACTERIZATION OF THE MASON COUNTY STUDY AREA 27 M. L. Barnhardt, C. Ray, and M. R. Greenpool LAND USE 27 Description of the Study Area 27 Industrial and Commercial Operations 27 GEOLOGY AND HYDROGEOLOGY 27 Introduction 27 Previous Studies 27 Physiography and Drainage 27 Bedrock Geology and Topography 29 Thickness of Quaternary Deposits 29 Lithostratigraphy 29 Soils and Parent Materials 33 Hydrogeology 33 GROUNDWATER HYDROLOGY 36 Aquifer Tests 37 Groundwater Use 38 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 39 5 CHARACTERIZATION OF THE KANKAKEE COUNTY STUDY AREA 41 M. L. Barnhardt, C. Ray, and M. R. Greenpool LAND USE 41 Description of the Study Area 41 Industrial and Commercial Operations 41 GEOLOGY AND HYDROGEOLOGY 41 Introduction 41 Previous Studies 41 Physiography and Drainage 42 Bedrock Geology and Topography 43 Thickness of Quaternary Deposits 44 Lithostratigraphy 44 Soils and Parent Materials 52 Hydrogeology 53 GROUNDWATER HYDROLOGY 54 Calculated Transmissivities for the Bedrock Aquifer 54 Calculated Transmissivities for the Sand and Gravel Aquifer 54 Recharge of Bedrock Aquifer 55 Water Use 56 Irrigation 56 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 56 6 CHARACTERIZATION OF THE LIVINGSTON COUNTY STUDY AREA 57 U. Vaisanen, J. P. Kempton, M. L. Barnhardt, C. Ray, and M. R. Greenpool LAND USE 57 Description of the Study Area 57 Industrial and Commercial Operations 57 GEOLOGY AND HYDROGEOLOGY 57 Introduction 57 Previous Studies 57 Physiography and Drainage 61 Bedrock Geology and Topography 61 Thickness of Quaternary Deposits 61 Lithostratigraphy 69 Soils and Parent Materials 72 Relationship of Materials to Topography 73 Hydrogeology 73 GROUNDWATER HYDROLOGY 77 Aquifer Tests 77 Groundwater Use 78 Aquifer Recharge 78 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 78 7 CHARACTERIZATION OF THE PIATT COUNTY STUDY AREA 79 J. P. Kempton, M. L. Barnhardt, C. Ray, and M. R. Greenpool LAND USE 79 Description of the Study Area 79 Industrial and Commercial Operations 79 GEOLOGY AND HYDROGEOLOGY 79 Introduction 79 Previous Studies 79 Physiography and Drainage 79 Bedrock Geology and Topography 81 Thickness of Quaternary Deposits 84 Soils and Parent Materials 87 Terranes 90 Hydrogeology 90 GROUNDWATER HYDROLOGY 93 Aquifer Tests 93 Aquifer Recharge 93 Groundwater Use 93 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 94 8 CHARACTERIZATION OF THE EFFINGHAM COUNTY STUDY AREA 95 B. B. Curry, C. Ray, M. L. Barnhardt, and M. R. Greenpool LAND USE 95 Description of the Study Area 95 Industrial and Commercial Operations 95 GEOLOGY AND HYDROGEOLOGY 95 Introduction 95 Previous Studies 95 Physiography and Drainage 97 Bedrock Geology and Topography 97 Thickness of Quaternary Deposits 97 Lithostratigraphy 100 Soils and Parent Materials 103 Hydrogeology 103 GROUNDWATER HYDROLOGY 105 Domestic Groundwater Use 105 Groundwater Use for Livestock 106 Aquifer Recharge 106 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 106 9 REVIEW AND ASSESSMENT OF STUDY AREA CHARACTERIZATION 107 M. L. Barnhardt LAND USE AND AGRICULTURAL DATA 107 GEOLOGIC DATA 108 Quantity of Data 108 Quality of Data 108 Location of Data 108 DEVELOPING A GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM 108 HYDROLOGIC DATA 109 WELLHEAD CONTAMINATION 109 REFERENCES 111 FIGURES 1.1 Location of study areas 4 3.1 Potential for agricultural chemical contamination of aquifers 20 3.2 Thickness of Pleistocene deposits of Illinois 21 3.3 Topography of the bedrock surface of Illinois 22 3.4 Quaternary deposits of Illinois 24 4.1 Mason County study area 26 4.2 Potential sources of contamination in the Mason County study area 26 4.3 Drainage of the Mason County study area 28 4.4 Lithostratigraphy of the Mason County study area 30 4.5 Topography of the bedrock surface in the Mason County study area 31 4.6 Thickness of drift deposits in the Mason County study area 31 4.7 Cross sections A-A' and B-B' for the Mason County study area 32 4.8 Parent materials of the Mason County study area 34 4.9 Stack-unit map of the Mason County study area 35 4.10 Terranes of the Mason County study area 37 4.11 Piezometric surface in the Mason County study area 38 5.1 Kankakee County study area 40 5.2 Potential sources of contamination in the Kankakee County study area 42 5.3 Drainage of the Kankakee County study area 43 5.4 Lithostratigraphy of the Kankakee County study area 44 5.5 Topography of the bedrock surface in the Kankakee County study area 45 5.6 Thickness of drift deposits in the Kankakee County study area 46 5.7 Cross sections A-A' and B-B' for the Kankakee County study area 47 5.8 Parent materials of the Kankakee County study area 48 5.9 Stack-unit map of the Kankakee County study area 50 5.10 Transmissivity distribution of the dolomite aquifer in the Kankakee County study area 55 6.1 Livingston County study area 58 6.2 Potential sources of contamination in the Livingston County study area 59 6.3 Drainage of the Livingston County study area 60 6.4 Parent materials of the Livingston County study area 62 6.5 Topography of the bedrock surface in the Livingston County study area 64 6.6 Thickness of drift deposits in the Livingston County study area 65 6.7 Lithostratigraphy of the Livingston County study area 66 6.8 Topography of the Robein Silt surface in the Livingston County study area 67 6.9 Cross sections A-A' and B-B' for the Livingston County Study area 68 6.10 Depth to the top of the Ashmore Member 71 6.11 Terranes of the Livingston County study area 74 7.1 Piatt County study area 80 7.2 Potential sources of contamination in the Piatt County study area 80 7.3 Drainage of the Piatt County study area 81 7.4 Parent materials of the Piatt County study area 82 7.5 Topography of the bedrock surface in the Piatt County study area 83 7.6 Thickness of drift deposits in the Piatt County study area 83 7.7 Lithostratigraphy of the Piatt County study area 85 7.8 Stack-unit map of the Piatt County study area 86 7.9 Cross sections A-A' and B-B' for the Piatt County study area 88 7.10 Topography of the Robein Silt surface in the Piatt County study area 91 7.11 Terranes of the Piatt County study area 92 8.1 Effingham County study area 96 8.2 Potential sources of contamination in the Effingham County study area 96 8.3 Drainage of the Effingham County study area 97 8.4 Lithostratigraphy of the Effingham County study area 98 8.5 Topography of the bedrock surface in the Effingham County study area 99 8.6 Thickness of drift deposits in the Effingham County study area 99 8.7 Cross section A-A' for Effingham County study area 100 8.8 Combined stack-unit and terrane map of the Effingham County study area 102 TABLES 3.1 Major crops harvested and chemical treatments by county 14 3.2 Mean monthly temperature and precipitation for the study areas 14 3.3 Comparison of livestock operations on countywide and study area basis 16 3.4 Classification of study area well users 17 3.5 Average nitrogen content from different manures 18 4.1 Soil permeability and surface organic content in Mason County study area 36 5.1 Soil permeability and surface organic content in Kankakee County study area 53 6.1 Soil permeability and surface organic content in Livingston County study area 73 7.1 Soil permeability and surface organic content in Piatt County study area 90 7.2 Summary of results from aquifer test in DeLand, Illinois 93 8.1 Soil permeability and surface organic content in Effingham County study area 104 8.2 Results of aquifer tests for the Dieterich municipal wells in Bishop Township 106 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Illinois Groundwater Protection Act of 1987 (PA 85-863) mandated that the impact of pesticides on groundwater be evaluated. Because pesticide use is widespread in rural areas and groundwater is the major source of drinking water in rural areas, the Illinois State Geologi• cal Survey (ISGS) and the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) developed recommendations for a statewide survey of agricultural chemicals in rural, private water wells in Illinois (McKenna et al. 1989). This pilot study was undertaken to develop and evaluate field, analytical, and database management methodologies that would be applied in a statewide survey.