Groundwater: is anyone watching?
The importance of groundwater in Adams County cannot be overstated. It is estimated that between 80 to 90 percent of the water used in Adams County comes from groundwater.The reason we are so dependant on groundwater is there are no large rivers or reservoirs in the county to provide adequate amounts of water. The amount of groundwater is directly linked to how much rain we receive and how much of that infiltrates to the water table.
Unfortunately, the geology of Adams County is not the best for infiltration, so when it rains, much of the water “runs off” into streams and doesn’t infiltrate into the ground. The state water plan, authorized by Act 220 of 2002, created a process to declare watersheds as “critical,”and Marsh Creek and Rock Creek were determined to be critical. So it stands to reason that the groundwater levels should be monitored to determine where we stand and if there are any long-term groundwater depletion trends.
Since both Marsh Creek and Rock Creek drain to the Potomac River, the Interstate Commission of the Potomac River Basin (ICPRB) got involved with establishing a groundwater network. Jim Palmer of the ICPRB worked with Adam McClain of the Adams County Conservation District (ACCD) in developing a network of individual monitoring wells that are monitored every month for groundwater levels. The network has been expanded to include areas that drain to the Susquehanna River. This effort is being coordinated and publicized by the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The data can be accessed through a link on the Watershed Alliance of Adams County (WAAC) website, adamswatersheds.org, under the “current projects” tab.
Of course nothing is free, and funding has been generously provided by the ICPRB, the USGS, and the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) to support on-going monitoring and data publishing; WAAC purchased the monitoring equipment. Adam McClain is an essential cog in the network as he collects data from 19 wells every month. Thank you, Adam. The network would benefit if more wells were monitored, so if you have an inactive well and are willing to have it monitored, please contact me at 717-334-1142.
The data collected since 2010 shows a typical pattern in which groundwater levels increase from October to April, when the groundwater is recharged, and decreases from May through September when plant life draws on groundwater reserves. The data also indicate no appreciable increase or decline in groundwater levels, which is good news, but the monitoring must be continued longterm to make any definitive judgments regarding the state of groundwater in Adams County.
The Watershed Alliance will have a public meeting at 7pm on October 24 at the Ag Center, 670 Old Harrisburg Road/Business Route 15 (across from HAAC), to discuss water resources in Adams County, at which the groundwater monitoring network will be discussed in more detail.
It’s only important if you expect water to come out when you turn the tap.
Pat Naugle is the President of the Watershed Alliance of Adams County.WAAC’s web site,, contains information if you would like to join, contribute, or volunteer.