Water-supply potential of the Upper Floridan aquifer in the vicinity of Savannah, Georgia
- Geological Survey, Atlanta, GA (United States)
The Upper Floridan aquifer is the primary source of freshwater in coastal Georgia. Groundwater withdrawal in the area of Savannah and in the adjacent coastal areas in Georgia and South Carolina has resulted in large regional water-level declines and a reversal of the hydraulic gradient that existed prior to development. Changes in gradient and decreasing water levels are causing lateral encroachment of seawater into the Upper Floridan aquifer at the northern end of Hilton Head Island, SC, and vertical intrusion of saltwater into the Upper and Lower Floridan aquifers in the Brunswick, GA., area. Concerns about future water-supply demands prompted the US Geological Survey and the Chatham County-Savannah Metropolitan Planning Commission to undertake a cooperative study to evaluate the ground-water resources in the Savannah, GA, area. A numerical ground-water flow model was developed and used in conjunction with other previously calibrated models in the coastal areas of Georgia and South Carolina to simulate the effects of additional ground-water withdrawal on water levels. Based on model simulations and the constraint of preventing additional water-level declines at the locations of encroachment and intrusion, the potential of the Upper Floridan aquifer to supply additional water in the Savannah area is limited under present hydrologic conditions. The potential for additional withdrawal in the vicinity of Savannah, GA, ranges from less than 1 million gallons per day (Mgal/d) to about 5 Mgal/d. Because of the limited water-supply potential, hypothetical alternatives of ground-water withdrawal were simulated to determine the effects on water levels. These simulations indicate that reduction and redistribution of ground-water withdrawal would not adversely affect water levels at the locations of encroachment and intrusion.
- OSTI ID:
- 5949326
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9304188--
- Journal Information:
- Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States), Journal Name: Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States) Vol. 25:4; ISSN GAAPBC; ISSN 0016-7592
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
290400 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Energy Resources
58 GEOSCIENCES
580000* -- Geosciences
AQUIFERS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DRAWDOWN
FLOW MODELS
GEORGIA
GROUND WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RESOURCE ASSESSMENT
RESOURCES
SEAWATER
SOUTH CAROLINA
USA
WATER
WATER INFLUX
WATER RESOURCES