GroundwaterThe Unseen Part of the Water Cycle

Salt Groundwater

Ground WaterReservoir

Who Uses Groundwater?In Northwest Ohio

Ohio Groundwater Law

1843: Acton v. Blundell “English Rule”

The landowner can pump groundwater at any rate even if an adjoining property owner were harmed.

1843: Acton v. Blundell “English Rule”

The landowner can pump groundwater at any rate even if an adjoining property owner were harmed.

1861: Frazier v. Brown English Rule in Ohio

Groundwater is

“…occult and concealed…”

and legislation of its use is

“…practically impossible.”

1861: Frazier v. Brown English Rule in Ohio

Groundwater is

“…occult and concealed…”

and legislation of its use is

“…practically impossible.”

Wisconsin Groundwater Law

1903: Huber v. Merkel

English Rule in Wisconsin

A property owner can pump unlimited amounts of groundwater,

even with malicious harm to a neighbor.

1903: Huber v. Merkel

English Rule in Wisconsin

A property owner can pump unlimited amounts of groundwater,

even with malicious harm to a neighbor.

1974: Wisconsin v. Michels Pipeline Constructors Inc.

English Rule Overturned

  Landowners no longer have

“an absolute right to use with impunity all water that can be pumped from the subsoil underneath.”

1974: Wisconsin v. Michels Pipeline Constructors Inc.

English Rule Overturned

  Landowners no longer have

“an absolute right to use with impunity all water that can be pumped from the subsoil underneath.”

English Rule Overturned in Ohio

1984: Cline v. American Aggregates English Rule overturned in Ohio

  Justice Holmes: “Scientific

knowledge in the field of hydrology has advanced in the past decade…” so it

  “…can establish the cause and

effect relationship of the tapping of underground water to the existing water level.”

1984: Cline v. American Aggregates English Rule overturned in Ohio

  Justice Holmes: “Scientific

knowledge in the field of hydrology has advanced in the past decade…” so it

  “…can establish the cause and

effect relationship of the tapping of underground water to the existing water level.”

Today: Lingering effects of English Rule

It is very difficult to prove cause and effect to be defensible in court.

Today: Lingering effects of English Rule

It is very difficult to prove cause and effect to be defensible in court.

Most available freshwater is ground water

Oceans97.2%

Atmosphere0.0001%

0.61%(97%)

Streams and Lakes

0.01%(3%)

Porosity and Permeability

Porosity: Percent of volume that is void space.

Sediment: Determined by how tightly packed and how clean (silt and clay), (usually between 20 and 40%)

Rock: Determined by size and number of fractures (most often very low, <5%) 1%

5%

30%

Zone of Aeration

Water Table

Saturated Zone

Porosity and Permeability

Permeability: Ease with which water will flow through a porous material Sediment: Proportional to

sediment size GravelExcellent SandGood SiltModerate ClayPoor

Rock: Proportional to fracture size and number. Can be good to excellent (even with low porosity)

Excellent

Poor

Zone of Aeration

Water Table

Saturated Zone

Porosity and Permeability Permeability is not

proportional to porosity.

Table 13.1

1%

5%30%

Water table: the surface separating the vadose zone from the saturated zone.

Measured using water level in well

The Water Table

Fig. 13.3

Aquifer: Saturated sediment or porous rock that is sufficiently permeable to supply useable amounts of water

The Water Table

Fig. 13.3

Groundwater discharge: Groundwater

leaving the subsurface at

Natural locations including streams springs and wetlands

Artificial means like pumped wells and drains

Groundwater Systems

Infiltration: Precipitation soaking into the soil and moving into the subsurface

Groundwater Systems

Groundwater recharge: Infiltration percolating to the water table

Groundwater Systems

Groundwater Flow: groundwater

moves through the small pore spaces

from areas with a high water table

to areas with a low water table

Groundwater Systems

Velocity is proportional to Permeability Slope of the water

table Inversely

Proportional to porosity

Groundwater Systems

Fast (e.g., cm per day)

Slow (e.g., mm per day)

Infiltration Recharges ground

water Raises water table Provides water to

springs, streams and wells

Reduction of infiltration causes water table to drop

Natural Water Table Fluctuations

Reduction of infiltration causes water table to drop Wells go dry Springs go dry Discharge of rivers

drops Artificial causes

Pavement Drainage

Natural Water Table Fluctuations

Pumping wells Accelerates flow

near well May reverse

ground-water flow Causes water table

drawdown Forms a cone of

depression

Effects of Pumping Wells

Pumping wells Accelerate flow Reverse flow Cause water

table drawdown Form cones of

depression Low river

GainingStream

GainingStream

Pumping well

Low well

Low well

Cone of Depression

Water TableDrawdown

Dry Spring

Effects of Pumping Wells

Dry river

Dry well

Effects of Pumping Wells

Dry well

Dry well

LosingStream

Continued water-table drawdown May dry up

springs and wells May reverse flow

of rivers (and may contaminate aquifer)

May dry up rivers and wetlands