Participating communities, including many members of the Northwest Water Planning Alliance, will measure water levels in deep wells to provide accurate data to Illinois State Water Survey, local and regional planners
To help ensure local, regional and state planners have accurate data on how much water is available in deep wells and where well water is becoming scarce, municipalities and other large water users in northeastern Illinois, including many communities that are part of the Northwest Water Planning Alliance, will measure their wells’ levels during Well Monitoring Weeks, Oct. 9 to 23, 2011.
The Illinois State Water Survey has been measuring water levels in deep wells since 1958; however, state resources to conduct this massive data collection effort have dwindled. That’s why ISWS organized Well Monitoring Weeks to tap the assistance of communities across the state in a coordinated data collection effort. Any water operator in northeastern Illinois with wells of approximately 500 feet deep or more is encouraged to record non-pumping well water levels on any day during this two-week period and send that data to ISWS.
In northeastern Illinois, ISWS is working closely with the Northwest Water Planning Alliance, which represents five councils of government, some 80 communities, and five counties (DeKalb, Kane, Kendall, Lake and McHenry), working together at the appropriate scale – the aquifer and watershed level – to address water supply and conservation challenges. The NWPA has encouraged its member communities and local water utility operators to participate in Well Monitoring Weeks, and many have agreed to do so.
“Data collection to better manage our shared groundwater resources is not new, but given the reality of state resource constraints, the Illinois State Water Survey needs and appreciates the assistance of well owners and operators now more than ever,” said Allen Wehrmann, head of the ISWS Center for Groundwater Science.
Read a blog post by Wehrmann on the importance and value of well monitoring.
WHAT: Well Monitoring Weeks takes place Oct. 9 to 23, 2011. During this time, communities across Illinois will measure their deep well water levels and provide this data to ISWS. Several communities represented by the Northwest Water Planning Alliance will participate.
WHERE & WHEN: Media is welcome to attend well monitoring activities taking place in the following communities:
- Batavia, Ill. Batavia will monitor Well #5, 630 Cottage Rd. Batavia, Ill., 60510, on Thursday, Oct. 13, at 8:30 a.m.
- Aurora, Ill. Aurora will monitor at Wellhouse #26, 2026 Nottingham Dr., Aurora, Ill., 60505, on Monday, Oct. 17, at 9 a.m.
- Elgin, Ill. Elgin will monitor at several locations. Reporters who would like to participate should meet Elgin’s staff at the riverside Water Treatment Plant, 375 W. River Rd., Elgin, Ill., 60123, on Sunday, Oct. 16, at 7:30 a.m.
- DeKalb, Ill. DeKalb will monitor at several locations. Reporters who would like to participate should meet DeKalb’s staff at the Water Division offices, 1216 Market Street, DeKalb, Ill., 60115, on either Wednesday, Oct. 13, or Thursday, Oct. 14, at 8 a.m.
Note: Other cities are participating in Well Monitoring Week, including Lake Zurich and Johnsburg. For details, please contact Mandy Burrell Booth, mburrell@metroplanning.org, 312-863-6018.