WSPC02131

• File Number: 8040.800
• Description: Section D General Studies - Water Resources
• State: CO
• Basin: Statewide
• Date: 11/1/1957
• Author: USGS
• Title: Water Resources Review - November 1957 through December 1958
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

flll J 7 7'1

As a result of extended above-normal precipitation,
springs in the Piedmont region of northern Dalaware
discharged record flows of 8 to 21 gpm from January
to July.

Water levels in the artesian aquifers of the non-
marine Cretaceous sediments of northern Delaware
rose slightly, even though industrial pumpage was in-
creased for the 3rd consecutive year. The net decline
of water level in some observation wells for the 3-year
period was mQre than 40 ft. Rises in water levels in
these aquifers may not be significant, however, because
of variations in daily and wee-kly pumping and the
irregular intervals between measurements.

Maryland.-In the Baltimore industrial area water
levels fluctuated in the same manner as in previous
years~ according to changes in pumpage in the val'i.ous
districts of the area. In general~ no pronounced trends
were evident, except in the Highlandtown-Dundalk
districts where the levels generally rose.

In both the Appalachian and Piedmont Provinces, the
water levels in some wells reached record-low stages
early in the water year after a very severe drought
during the summer of 1957. In the spring of 1958, how-
ever~ the levels in many wells were at or near record...
high stages as a result of above-normal precipitation.

In the western part of the Coastal Plain, the drought
of the summer of 1957 resulted in a number of record-
low levels at the beginning of ' the water year. With
above-average rain"all in the spring and early summer
of 1958, water levels in many wells rose to average or
above-average stages. One artesian well near Glen
Burnie in Anne Arundel County and another near
Piscataway in Prince Georges County continued to de-
cline because of pumpage of ground water by the
Washington Suburban and Anne Arundel County Sanitary
Commissions.

On the Eastern Shore, fluctuations in water-table
wells followed the same general pattern as elsewhere~
reflecting chiefly seasonal variations in precipitation.
The levels in the artesian wells tapping, the Piney
Point formation in the Cambridge area~ however, con'"
tinued to decline as a result of sustained withdrawals
from the aquifer. Water levels in this aquifer have
been declining slowly but persistently in the Cambridge
area for several decades.

West Virginia.-Ground-water levels, which were be-
low average at the beginning of the year~ rose slowly
during the winter months and more rapidly during the
spring when precipitation was above average. During
the summer, the levels were maintained by continued
above-average precipitation. At the end of the year,
the levels in the northern part of the State were from
1 to 3 it above average and elsewhere were at or
slightly above average.

North Carolina.--Ground~water levels throughout the
State generally rose during the past year, owing to
above-average precipitation. Distribution of rainfall
over broad areas was irregular and resulted in rising
water levels in some areas and declining water levels
in others. There is no indication that excessive with-
drawals of water have resulted in the lowering of water
levels in anyone section of the State.

11

Rising water levels were most pronounced in the
Piedmont Province. In May and June the levels in the
key well at Chapel Hill were record-high for those
months, more than three ft above the twenty-two-year
averages for these dates. The level in the key well at
Murphy, in the Mountain Province, was slightly above
average for nine months of the year. Most wells in
the Coastal Plain were above average for all or most
of the past twelve months, however, in September, the
level in the key well at Maysville was record-low for
that month and was 5.6 ft. lower than it was a year ago.

South Carolina.-Ground-water levels throughout the
State generally were considerably higher than last year,
owing principally to the excess qdnfall received during
the fall of 1957 and spring of 1958. Rainfall during the
1958 water year was more than 12 inches above normal.

In central South Carolina many water levels in
artesian aquifers were the highest since 1953. and in
1 well the level was the highest since 1952. The levels
in the water-table aquifers also rose sharply. This rise
started in the beginning of the 1958 water year and con-
tinued through July 1958. The rainfall for August and
September was slightly below normal and the ground-
water levels also declined slightly. The levels in 2
water-table wells were the highest since 1951.

In northeastern and southern South Carolina the
ground-water levels in general rose in the first half of
the watez; year owing to above-normal precipitation
but declined gradually from May through the end of the
year. Despite this decline the levels were above aver-
age at the end of the water year.

Georgia.-The decline of water levels in the principa.1
artesian aquifer in the Savannah area was interrupted
by a slight seasonal rise during the winter and spring
owing to a decrease in pumpage and to recharge of the
aquifer during a wet spring. Water levels resumed
their downward trend later in the year and by the end
of September were at a record-low stage in many wells.

In the Albany area water levets in the Ocala lime-
stone at the end of the year were well above the levels
of the previous year. This rise in water levels is
attributed to heavy rainfall in the winter and spring
months. Water levels in the Clayton formation at the
end of the year were slightly below the levels of the
preceding year. The decline in water levels was due
to deficient rainfall in late summer and early fall and
an increase in pumpage by the city of Albany in mid-
July.

The water levels in the shallow and deep wells in
north Georgia declined through the first part of the
year but rose during the latter part, principally be-
cause of heavy rainfall in July. At the end of the year
the levels generally were slightly higher than at the
beginning.

Florida.--Ground-water levels in central and northern
Florida generally continued the upward trend that
started in the spring of 1957. The rises were caused,
in the main, by above-normal precipitation over the
greater part of the State.

Water levels in central Florida roughly corresponded
to those recorded in the key well in Marion County.