Monday, March 31, 2008 : 2:00 p.m.

Citizen-Based Ground Water Planning at the Sub-regional Level

Kurt O. Thomsen, Ph.D., CGWP., PG, KOT Environmental Consulting Inc. and Janet L. Agnoletti, Barrington Area Council of Governments

Concerns about groundwater supply and quality have been present in the Barrington Area Council of Governments (BACOG) area because of the dependence of the area’s 35,000 residents on groundwater.  Recognizing these concerns, in 2001 BACOG authorized formation of a committee to study groundwater resources.  Staff and volunteers identified local groundwater issues, estimated local water consumption, and established a network of private monitoring wells.  Data analysis, mapping and modeling of the aquifers has occurred with staff and a volunteer consultant, and work continues towards defining the water balance, predicting sustainability of the resource, and further developing the monitoring program.  Challenges have included public awareness, funding and other resources, and technology.  The BACOG project is an example of an in-progress, sub-regional initiative that is producing information useful to governments in decision making.

Kurt O. Thomsen, Ph.D., CGWP., PG, KOT Environmental Consulting Inc. Kurt O. Thomsen, Ph.D., P.G. is the principal of KOT Environmental Consulting, Inc. Dr. Thomsen has more than 35 years of experience in performing hydrological investigations, hazardous waste remedial actions and feasibility studies, RCRA and CERCLA compliance evaluations, field investigations, and more than 13 years of experience applying his expertise to groundwater resource management problems. Dr. Thomsen has a B.A. degree in Mathematics and a M.S. in Earth Science from Northeastern Illinois University. He received his Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology. Dr. Thomsen is registered in eight states as a professional geologist.

Janet L. Agnoletti, Barrington Area Council of Governments Janet L. Agnoletti has 25 years experience in city and regional planning. She serves as Executive Director of the Barrington Area Council of Governments, where she is involved in land use and regional planning, environmental protection and research, legislative advocacy, community development and technology. She has been a planner and consultant to numerous communities in the northeastern Illinois area. Ms. Agnoletti has a B.S. degree from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana and a Master’s of City and Regional Planning (MCRP) from Illinois Institute of Technology. She is a member of the American Planning Association and the Illinois GIS Association.


2008 Ground Water Summit