Wednesday, May 4, 2011: 1:30 p.m.
Constellation B (Hyatt Regency Baltimore on the Inner Harbor)
Richard E. Bolich, PG, North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources;
The North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NCDENR) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) have been conducting detailed hydrogeologic site investigations in the Piedmont and Blue Ridge physiographic provinces as part of our ground water Resource Evaluation Program (REP) since 1999. The REP studies indicate that ground water quality and availability is generally good in the fractured rock aquifers of North Carolina, however protection of the ground water resource in suburban areas and the occurrence of natural contaminants, such as radon and arsenic, are areas of concern. The REP is directed toward answering fundamental questions regarding factors affecting ground water flow and ground water quality in order to help develop effective rules to protect ground water quality and to help inform citizens about the occurrence of naturally occurring contaminants.
Fractured bedrock aquifers in these regions are complex and localized as a result of geologic processes and subsequent erosion, yet studies conducted as part of the REP have led to the identification of some common characteristics and enhanced our knowledge of controlling factors on ground water occurrence, flow, and recharge. This knowledge has enabled NCDENR to develop guidance for waste disposal permits that are protective of the ground water resource, and has provided valuable guidance on monitoring well placement and construction that has resulted in earlier detection of permit violations and more effective rule enforcement. The information gathered by North Carolina’s REP could also be of value for regulatory and resource protection programs in surrounding states and other areas of the country that have fractured bedrock aquifers.
