2008 Watershed Report Card
Groundwater is an important part of our watershed. It maintains the flow in rivers and streams, in addition to supplying water to wells.
Groundwater is the water that is stored beneath the surface of the earth. It generally flows with the slope of the land, like surface water, but can sometimes move in other directions due to rock formations under the ground.
Throughout the watershed, information on the quality of groundwater is compiled through the Provincial Groundwater Monitoring Network (PGMN). The red dots on the map show the location of PGMN wells. We will be using data from these wells more extensively in future watershed report cards. However, in order to have a better understanding of groundwater quality, greater sampling coverage is required.
Currently, there are 14 municipal water supply systems in the Kawartha Conservation watershed. In addition, approximately 42% of the population relies on their own private drinking water wells. This makes the need for more intensive groundwater monitoring and protection a priority throughout the region. Information and awareness about our groundwater health is vital for making management decisions and sustaining our environment.
Local groundwater quality can vary considerably, especially with shallow or dug wells. It can be impacted by the soil type and the thickness of the soil layer that surrounds your well.
Dug Well: Draws water from shallow aquifers that are more prone to contamination due to a shorter travel time of water.
Drilled Well: Draws water from deeper aquifers that are less prone to contamination due to a longer travel time of water.
Have your well water tested by the Health Unit at least twice every year. It's free and will help keep you safe!
Soil has the ability to filter some contaminants. The finer the soil particles, such as clay and silt, the slower water and thus chemicals or bacteria can move through it. In contrast, the coarser the particles, the more quickly water, chemicals and bacteria can move through it. This leaves less time for bacteria to die off and for soil particles to filter some of the contaminants.
We use soil types and soil depth as an indicator on the map for how much protection the soil can potentially provide. This is called an Aquifer Vulnerability Index. The map itself does not indicate the quality of groundwater and should not be used as an indicator of whether or not well water is safe to drink. Rather, this data can help us pinpoint where groundwater quality monitoring should be focused and where we need good management practices that protect groundwater.
The groundwater samples that we have collected throughout the watershed have been of high quality. However, we need more sampling information than is currently available to provide an accurate grade for groundwater quality on a subwatershed basis. As groundwater sampling initiatives are enhanced, grading for groundwater quality will be possible.