Groundwater Conditions and Aquifer Characteristics in the Project Area: A Comprehensive Analysis

Strategic Insights -

The Project Area, underlain by a principal unconsolidated aquifer, exhibits significant groundwater conditions that vary by season and weather conditions. According to the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the average depth to the water table within the Project Area is 27 inches. The geotechnical investigations conducted onsite indicate groundwater at depths ranging from 1 to 20 feet below existing grades, where encountered.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Project Area has a principal unconsolidated aquifer, with the average depth to the water table being 27 inches, as per the NRCS.
  • Groundwater conditions vary by season and weather conditions, with the geotechnical investigations indicating groundwater at depths ranging from 1 to 20 feet below existing grades.
  • The subsurface investigation encountered groundwater in all borings and test pits at the time of exploration at depths ranging from 1 to 20 feet below existing grades.
  • Posts will be embedded to a depth of up to 12 feet, and temporary dewatering will be employed during construction if perched water, groundwater, or seepage becomes problematic.
  • The nearest well to the Project Area is located approximately 8 miles to the northwest, up-gradient from anticipated groundwater flow onsite.
  • A United States Geological Survey (USGS) study of the groundwater within central New York indicated that overall water quality was acceptable, with some constituents exceeding Federal and State standards.
  • The groundwater monitoring sites nearest the Project are Local Number Se-549, located approximately 10 miles northeast of the Project Area at Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, and Local Number Ot-1133, located approximately 16 miles west of the Project Area.

Statistics:

  • The average depth to the water table within the Project Area is 27 inches, as per the NRCS.
  • The subsurface investigation encountered groundwater in 100% of the borings and test pits, with depths ranging from 1 to 20 feet below existing grades.
  • The nearest well to the Project Area is located approximately 8 miles to the northwest.
  • The USGS study of the groundwater within central New York involved recording data at 29 wells, none of which were in the immediate vicinity of the Project Area.
  • The constituents that exceeded Federal or State standards in the USGS study included color (2 detections), pH (7 detections), sodium (9 detections), chloride (2 detections), fluoride (2 detections), sulfate (2 detections), total dissolved solids (8 detections), aluminum (4 detections), arsenic (1 detection), iron (9 detections), manganese (13 detections), radon-222 (13 detections), and total coliform bacteria (6 detections).

Sources:

  • Exhibit 23: Water Resources and Aquatic Ecology
  • Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
  • United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
  • Geotechnical Engineering Report (Terracon, 2019)
  • United States Geological Survey (USGS) study of the groundwater within central New York (Reddy, 2012)
  • USGS (2020)
  • New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC)
  • United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
  • Pagano et al. (1986)
  • EPA (2017)