Abstract
Within McHenry County, IL, the fastest growing county in Illinois, groundwater is used for 100% of the water needs. Concerns over water resources have prompted the investigation of the surficial sand and gravel aquifers of the county. While the eastern portion of the county is urbanizing, the western portion remains devoted to agriculture. High-capacity irrigation wells screened within the surficial sand and gravel aquifer are used for crop production. To assess the impacts of the irrigation wells on the aquifer, a groundwater flow model was developed to examine five different scenarios reflecting drought conditions and increased pumping. Results show that the surficial sand and gravel aquifer is capable of meeting current water demands even if recharge is decreased 20% and pumping is increased 20%. The additional loss of discharge and increases in pumping result in head differences throughout the aquifer.
Highlights
As a result of climate change, the Midwest of the United States will become hotter and precipitation patterns will be modified [1]
The Kishwaukee River is located in a paleo-valley of bedrock that has been filled with glacial sediments
The groundwater flow model can be an appropriate tool in assessing the impacts of high-capacity irrigation wells in local unconfined aquifers of McHenry County
Summary
As a result of climate change, the Midwest of the United States will become hotter and precipitation patterns will be modified [1]. From 1900 to 2010, the average air temperature increased 0.8 ̊C, with the rate of increase accelerating in the last few decades [2]. Projections show that the temperature will continue to increase 2.1 ̊C by mid-century, and at the end of the century, temperatures will have risen 3.1 ̊C [3]. Annual precipitation increased in the Midwest [4]; with higher precipitation in the winter and spring. How to cite this paper: Seipel, L.C., Peterson, E.W., Malone, D.H. and Thomason, J.F. (2016) Role of Multiple High-Capacity Irrigation Wells on a Surficial Sand and Gravel Aquifer.
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