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Groundwater and Wells:

An Introductory Discussion with Application


to Northeastern Illinois

H. Allen Wehrmann, P.E.


Illinois State Water Survey
Illinois Department of Natural Resources

2007 Priority Places Workshop: Implementing a Sustainable Water Supply for Kane Countys Future

Topical Presentation Outline


Basic Concepts and Definition

The Hydrologic Cycle


What

Is Groundwater?

Concepts and Definitions


Porous

Flow vs. Fractured Flow


Aquifers vs. Aquitards
Artesian vs. Water Table Conditions

Regional Groundwater
G
Flow Systems
S
Well and Aquifer Hydraulics

2007 Priority Places Workshop: Implementing a Sustainable Water Supply for Kane Countys Future

The Water Cycle


Climate, surface water, and groundwater are linked

2007 Priority Places Workshop: Implementing a Sustainable Water Supply for Kane Countys Future

Porous Systems
Groundwater flows through
pore spaces between grains

2007 Priority Places Workshop: Implementing a Sustainable Water Supply for Kane Countys Future

Fractured Systems

2007 Priority Places Workshop: Implementing a Sustainable Water Supply for Kane Countys Future

Fractured
Limestone or
Dolomite

2007 Priority Places Workshop: Implementing a Sustainable Water Supply for Kane Countys Future

Aquifers vs. Aquitards

An aquifer is a saturated bed, formation, or


group of formations that yields water in sufficient
quantity to be of consequence as a source of
supply.

An aquitard yields inappreciable quantities of


water, but leakage of water through the aquitard
is possible. Aquitards often act as confining
beds.

2007 Priority Places Workshop: Implementing a Sustainable Water Supply for Kane Countys Future

Unconfined vs. Confined Groundwater

An unconfined aquifer is one in which groundwater


possesses a free surface open to the atmosphere. The
upper surface of the zone of saturation is called the
water table.

A confined
fi d aquifer
if is
i one iin which
hi h groundwater
d t iis
confined under pressure by overlying and underlying
aquitards or aquicludes, and water levels in wells rise
above
b
th
the ttop off the
th aquifer.
if A confined
fi d aquifer
if is
i also
l
called an artesian aquifer.

2007 Priority Places Workshop: Implementing a Sustainable Water Supply for Kane Countys Future

Unconfined Aquifers
Land Surface
Unsaturated
((Vadose)) Zone
Water Table

Saturated
Zone
Unconfined
Aquifer

Bedrock

2007 Priority Places Workshop: Implementing a Sustainable Water Supply for Kane Countys Future

Confined Aquifers
Land Surface
Unsaturated (Vadose) Zone
Water Table

Unconfined Aquifer

Saturated Zone

Potentiometric Surface

Confining Layer - Aquitard

Confined Aquifer

Bedrock

2007 Priority Places Workshop: Implementing a Sustainable Water Supply for Kane Countys Future

Confined Aquifers and Artesian Wells


Flowing artesian well
Land surface

Confining layer

Confined
Aquifer
f

2007 Priority Places Workshop: Implementing a Sustainable Water Supply for Kane Countys Future

Regional Groundwater Flow Systems


0.1 mile
20 miles

Depth

100
10

200
20
2007 Priority Places Workshop: Implementing a Sustainable Water Supply for Kane Countys Future

Cone of Depression

2007 Priority Places Workshop: Implementing a Sustainable Water Supply for Kane Countys Future

Overlapping Cones of Depression

2007 Priority Places Workshop: Implementing a Sustainable Water Supply for Kane Countys Future

Overlapping Cones of Depression:


Well Interference

2007 Priority Places Workshop: Implementing a Sustainable Water Supply for Kane Countys Future

Overlapping Cones of Depression:


Well Interference

2007 Priority Places Workshop: Implementing a Sustainable Water Supply for Kane Countys Future

Overlapping Cones of Depression:


Well Interference

2007 Priority Places Workshop: Implementing a Sustainable Water Supply for Kane Countys Future

Overlapping Cones of Depression:


Well Interference

2007 Priority Places Workshop: Implementing a Sustainable Water Supply for Kane Countys Future

Potentiometric
S f
Surface
off the
th
Deep Bedrock
A if S
Aquifer
System,
t
Fall 2000

2007 Priority Places Workshop: Implementing a Sustainable Water Supply for Kane Countys Future

Potentiometric Surface across NE Illinois


WEST

EAST

Elevation (ft)

Elevation (ft)

1000

1000

DeKalb
800

Elburn
Geneva

800

Elmhurst
Bellwood

Industrial site
in Chi cago

600

600

400

400

200

200

St. Peter

Ss

- 200

-200

- 400

-400

- 600

- 800

Ironton
-Galesviil
le

Ss

-600

-800

-1000

-1000

-1200

-1200

2007 Priority Places Workshop: Implementing a Sustainable Water Supply for Kane Countys Future

Deep Well Water Levels


Levels, Cook County

2007 Priority Places Workshop: Implementing a Sustainable Water Supply for Kane Countys Future

Deep Well Water Levels, Kendall County


600

Ellevation abov
ve Sea Level (feet)

500

400

300

200

100

Oswego #3
0
1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2007 Priority Places Workshop: Implementing a Sustainable Water Supply for Kane Countys Future

Water Sources for Public Supply


in Northeast Illinois

2007 Priority Places Workshop: Implementing a Sustainable Water Supply for Kane Countys Future

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