OCR Text |
Show RECOVERY TIMES Recharge-area protection requires a thorough understanding of the hydrogeology of the recharge area so that its extent and - MAY 15, 1995 - 5 Local Government Protecting characteristics are known. Recharge-area protection is most effective where zones are clearly identified and where extensive devel— opment within the recharge zone has not al— ready taken place. A cooperative report by USGS and DWQ has identified recharge areas for CacheValley, the lower Bear Riverarea, the East Shore area, Salt Lake Valley, and Utah and Goshen valleys. The recharge areas for Groundwater in Wasatch County for drinking purposes. Similar problems have occurred in other areas of the state. Moroni Mack Croft .. was required to shut down a city well that ' UtahDepartment ofEnvironmental Quality exceeded the limit for nitrate, and Tooele 1 Utah Watershed Review By ' By filing a petition with the Utah Water County'has an ongoing study to determine the concentration and source of nitrate in their Kane and Washington counties have also been Quality Board to classify the' ground water groundwater. identified in separate USGS reports. beneath Heber and Round valleys, Wasatch Utah regulates the quality of surface and County has become the first local government Recharge Areas Mapped ground water. Ground water is protected to be proactive in protecting their drinking specifically by Utah Administrative Code The Utah Department of Environmental water fi'om contamination. Much ofthe ground R317-6, which defines the state’s ground Quality has mapped recharge areas in counwater is high quality and is considered Class water quality standards, protection limits, ties based on hydrologic information, drillers’ IA, or pristine, under Utah’s water-quality the classification of ground water, cleanup lithologic logs, and geophysical logs from classification system. The Utah-Division of wells. Hydraulic gradients and directions 'of Water Quality is excited to work with Wa-‘ regulations, and the issuance ofground water ground-water movement were obtained by satch Countytoward acomprehensiVe ground discharge pemtits. measuring water levels in wells. The delineaClassification is a formal statement or deswater protection program that will prevent ignation by the water quality board describing tion ofaquifers and confining layers was also Their peti— taken from lithologic logs. Ground-water future . . contamination problems. . _ . the current water quality in the aquifer. There samples were collected and analyzed to pro- tron is the first to ask for this classrfication. are four main classes. Class IA is pristine vide baseline maps for the principal aquifers. About a year ago the coun hired a local groundwaterwithtotaldesolved solids (TDS) According to USGS, dissolved concentra- consulting firm and the Utah Geological less than 500 mg/l, and has no contaminants tions in ground waterrange from less than 500 Survcyto producethedataandmapsrequired that exceed the ground water quality. stanmilligrarns'per liter (mg/1) to about 3,000 mg/ for the petition process. . . ' ‘dards. 1. The recent Wasatch Front study by USGS County planning studies indicate the posA hearing was held February 9, I995, in found that five of the 73 water samples con- sibility of a total of 20,000 new resiHeber City on the proposed classification. tained concentrations of organic compounds dences With current zoning. The county is Most citizens who attended the hearing were that exceeded state standards. Water analysis concerned about the effects ofrapid growth in favor of the classificati on. The proposed and recharge-area mapping reports were com- on the quality ofthe ground water. Without classification will now go to the board for a pleted to encourage municipalities’ ground- regulation, nitrate from sewage 53/5me final detemiination. ‘ water—protccfionplmmjng efforts. and other contaminants may iIlCI'CflSC t0 the Forassistance orto receive firrther informa- point that ground W816!” Will not be suitable tion on ground water protectionplanning,con- tactBillDamery,DWd,(801)53876146. PLANTS FOR THE CANYON COUNTRY Fruit Trees, Shade Trees Perennials, Ground Covers Lawn Seed FREE CASTLE VALLEY DELIVERY CA NYON NURSERY Call 259-8274 275 rWilIiams Way DRIP & IRRIGATION HEADQUARTERS |