Water-resources potential of the freshwater lens at Key West, Florida

Book · Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:6792984

McKenzie, D J ^[1]

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1. Geological Survey, Miami, FL (United States)

The island of Key West receives its public-water supply from the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority Well Field near Miami and from privately owned wells on the island that tap the local fresh groundwater lens. The lens averages 5 ft in thickness below the center of the western half of the island. The lens contains about 20 to 30 million gallons of freshwater, depending on rainfall recharge. The water is a calcium bicarbonate type that grades to a sodium chloride type because of saltwater intrusion and mixing. Elevated concentrations of nitrate were found water samples from wells in the Old Town district. However, concentrations generally were not above the maximum contamination level established by the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation. Water samples near an old landfill on the eastern half of the island had concentrations of iron and lead that exceeded the maximum contaminant levels of 300 and 50 micrograms/L. These trace-element concentrations generally decreased with distance from the landfill.

• OSTI ID: 6792984
• Resource Relation: Related Information: USGS Water-Resources Investigations Report 90-4115
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
FLORIDA
WATER POLLUTION
GROUND WATER
CONTAMINATION
IRON
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
LEAD
NITRATES
FRESH WATER
MONITORING
SANITARY LANDFILLS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ELEMENTS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MANAGEMENT
METALS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
USA
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WATER
540320* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)