2007 Ground Water Summit

Tuesday, May 1, 2007 : 11:20 a.m.

Development of a Ground Water Source in an Exceptional Value Wetland Area

Jillian M. Williams, B.S., Biology and Louis F. Vittorio Jr., M.S., P.G., EarthRes Group Inc.

Development and permitting of a groundwater spring source in an exceptional value wetland area required in-depth investigation and cross-jurisdictional regulatory coordination.  At the project site, the spring discharges to a tributary classified as a cold water fishery and natural trout reproduction stream, thereby classifying the surrounding wetlands as exceptional value.  Federal, state, regional and local regulations establish criteria, such as demonstrating “no impacts” or “no adverse impacts”, for resource development in watersheds containing exceptional value wetlands in Pennsylvania.  Due to the location of this groundwater resource, special consideration of the wetland hydrology, the spring’s contribution to the hydrology, and the spring’s role in maintaining adequate flow to the stream tributary was required to successfully develop the source, satisfy the regulatory agencies and protect the wetland and stream resources. 

The spring source was captured through construction of a spring box located upgradient and outside the emergent wetlands of the spring source.  This was chosen in lieu of a standard borehole to eliminate pumping induced aquifer drawdown, thereby capturing the spring source while protecting the exceptional value wetlands.  During the testing phase, the simulation of spring withdrawal was performed using gravity-flow tests, which routed discharge to downgradient areas during high- and low-flow seasonal conditions.

The presentation will detail wetland and aquifer assessments performed over four years to support source development and regulatory permitting.  Project work included characterizing the spring source (flow and quality); jurisdictional determination of wetland boundaries; fish species surveys; aquifer assessment through well installation/testing; assessment of surface/groundwater interaction in and around wetland areas; cross-seasonal wetland monitoring; and six months of surface water identification protocol (SWIP) testing.  Project efforts determined that water resources in ecologically sensitive areas can be managed for public use through sound technical investigation, outside-the-box ingenuity, and regulatory coordination.

Jillian M. Williams, B.S., Biology, EarthRes Group Inc. Jillian Williams holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology and is a certified wetland delineator. She is currently pursuing a Master of Science Degree in Environmental Assessment at Drexel University. Jillian is employed full-time as a Project Scientist and Assistant Project Manager of Environmental Services at EarthRes Group, Inc. Ms. Williams has over five years of professional experience in the environmental consulting industry. Her areas of specialization include bottled and bulk spring water multi-state permitting, water resource evaluation and development, benthic macroinvertabrate stream surveys, wetland delineation, environmental compliance reporting, sampling and data analysis, and environmental site assessments.

Louis F. Vittorio Jr., M.S., P.G., EarthRes Group Inc. Mr. Vittorio is the Vice President and Principal Hydrogeologist at ERG and has more than twenty-two years of experience in environmental consulting. He holds a BS Degree in Geology/Geophysics from the University of Pittsburgh and an MS Degree in Geology from Lehigh University. Mr. Vittorio is a registered Professional Geologist in Pennsylvania, a NJ Certified Subsurface Evaluator and is a member of the Pennsylvania Council of Professional Geologists, American Water Works Association and NGWA. Specialized project areas include water and mineral resource permitting, quarry dewatering analysis, fractured rock/karst aquifer system characterization, and groundwater flow and contaminant transport modeling.


The 2007 Ground Water Summit