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Coastal Georgia Alternative Water Resources

Project Chief: John S. Clarke
Cooperator: U.S. Department of the Army and the City of Pooler, Georgia
Year started: 2009

Problem

Saltwater intrusion at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, has resulted in increased restrictions on groundwater withdrawals from the Upper Floridan aquifer by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GaEPD) in the coastal area of Georgia. To meet growing water demand in this area, the GaEPD has encouraged use of alternative water sources to the Upper Floridan, including streams, ponds, and wells completed in the Lower Floridan aquifer and shallower surficial and Brunswick aquifer systems. To assess the water-resource potential of these various sources for potable supply and irrigation, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Department of the Army and the City of Pooler, Georgia, is conducting detailed field investigations at selected sites. Studies were conducted at Hunter Army Airfield in Chatham County, Fort Stewart, in Liberty County, and the City of Pooler in Effingham County.

Objectives

• Analysis of Shallow Alternative Aquifers (surficial and Brunswick aquifer systems)-Conduct detailed site investigations in new and existing wells, including borehole geophysical logging and flowmeter testing, depth-integrated water sampling and analysis, and aquifer-performance testing to determine the drawdown and water-bearing capacity of the aquifer.
• Analysis of Lower Floridan Aquifer-Conduct detailed site investigations, including borehole geophysical logging and flowmeter testing, depth-integrated water sampling and analysis, and aquifer-performance testing to determine the drawdown and water-bearing capacity of the Lower Floridan aquifer and interconnection (leakage) with the overlying Upper Floridan aquifer. Perform groundwater model analyses to further assess the effects of pumping on leakage between the Upper and Lower Floridan aquifers.
• Analysis of Ponds- Conduct detailed site investigations of selected ponds to assess water-supply potential, including describing the local site setting and pond bathymetry, estimating the volume of water stored in the ponds over a range of stages, estimating net groundwater seepage derived from water-budget analyses and pond-discharge tests, and determining the suitability of pond water quality for irrigation purposes.

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