' Atlas of Four Selected Aquifers in New York Prepared by ^ ENGINEERING oERFX CCnterprises.inc. ------- ATLAS OF FOUR SELECTED AQUIFERS IN NEW YORK Compiled by Oliver J. Cosner Engineering Enterprises Norman Oklahoma 73069 Contract number 68-01-6389 Task No. 17 Project officer Roger A. Anzzolin Task Managers Peter J. Acker William G. Stelz Report SEPT. 1984 ------- For additional information write to: U.S. Geological Survey P.O. Box 1699 Albany, N.Y. 12201 Engineering Enterprises, Inc. 1225 West Main - Suite 215 Norman, Oklahoma 73069 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-Region II Water Management Drinking Groundwater Protection Branch Room 824 26 Federal Plaza New York, N.Y. 10278 ------- PREFACE A large quantity of data on groundwater in New York State has been gathered, interpreted and compiled by several Federal and State government agencies through water-resource investigations starting in the early 1900's. The U.S. Geological Survey has been foremost in these studies, the results of which have been published by them, several New York State agencies, and in scientific journals. In 1984, Engineering Enterprises, Inc., under contract to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, began preparation of this report as a corollary to the report by Waller and Finch (1982). This report summarizes the results of a 1983-84 study in which four major aquifers in New York State were mapped and presents this information in a useful form for managers, scientists and the general public. Each chapter describes the following aspects of a single aquifer system and includes a comprehensive list of references: Location and major geographic features Population and groundwater use in 1980 Geologic setting Geohydrology Aquifer thickness Well yields Groundwater movement Soil-zone permeability Land use Present and potential problems The authors thank the many local, State and Federal agencies, consultants and private citizens who have provided cooperation and data during the past year. They also credit the previous researchers whose scientific contributions have made this compilation possible. iii ------- CONTENTS Preface iii Glossary vi Abbreviations and conversion factors viii Abstract 1 1 Introduction, by Oliver J. Cosner 3 A. Purpose and scope of study 4 B. Origin of aquifers 6 C. Occurrence and movement of groundwater 8 D. Quality of groundwater 10 E. General references 12 2 Cohocton area, by David B. Terry 15 A. Location and major geographic features 16 B. Population and groundwater use 18 C. Geologic setting 20 D. Geohydrology 22 E. Aquifer thickness 24 F. Groundwater movement 26 G. Well yields 28 H. Soil-zone permeability 30 I. Land use 32 J. Present and potential problems 34 K. Selected references 35 3 Bath area, by Timothy S. Pagano 37 A. Location and major geographic features 38 B. Population and groundwater use 40 C. Geologic setting 42 D. Geohydrology 44 E. Aquifer thickness 46 F. Groundwater movement 48 G. Well yields 50 H. Soil-zone permeability 52 I. Land use 54 J. Present and potential problems 56 K. Selected references 57 4 Batavia area, by David B. Terry 59 A. Location and major geographic features 60 B. Population and groundwater use 62 C. Geologic setting 64 D. Geohydrology 66 E. Aquifer thickness 68 F. Groundwater movement 70 G. Well yields 72 H. Soil-zone permeability 74 I. Land use 76 J. Present and potential problems 78 K. Selected references 79 iv ------- CONTENTS (continued) 5 Baldwinsville area, by Timothy S. Pagano 81 A. Location and major geographic features 82 B. Population and groundwater use 84 C. Geologic setting 86 D. Geohydrology 88 E. Aquifer thickness 90 F. Groundwater movement 92 G. Well yields 94 H. Soil-zone permeability 96 I. Land use 98 J. Present and potential problems 100 K. Selected references 102 v ------- GLOSSARY »>2 A-horizon. The uppermost zone in the soil profile, from which soluble salts and colloids have been leached, and in which organic matter has accumulated. Ablation till. Loosely consolidated rock debris, formerly in or on a glacier, that accumulated in place as the surface ice decayed and melted. Alluvium. Rock material deposited by flowing water. Aquifer. A saturated formation or part of a formation that yields significant quantities of water to wells and springs. Artesian aquifer. A confined aquifer in which the water is under sufficent pressure to rise higher than the aquifer surface in a well tapping the aquifer. B-horizon. The part of the soil zone that is enriched by the deposition or precipitation of material from the overlying A-horizon. Base flow. Sustained or fair-weather stream discharge, composed primarily of ground water; the flow of a stream without runoff from precipitation. Bedrock. General term for rock, generally solid, that underlies soil or other unconsolidated sediments. Bedrock valley. A valley eroded into bedrock. C-horizon. A mineral horizon of a soil, beneath the B-horizon, transitional between the parent material and the more developed horizons above. Chloride concentration. A measure of the salt in water, expressed in milligrams per liter. Cone of depression. A low in the potentiometric surface, centered in an area of concentrated pumping. Confined aquifer. An aquifer bounded above and below by relatively impermeable beds and containing confined ground water. (See "artesian aquifer.") Confined ground water. Ground water under pressure significantly greater than that of the atmosphere. Its upper surface is bounded by a relatively impermeable layer. Confining layer. A layer of earth material, generally clay or other fine-grained sediment, that retards the movement of water. Deglaciation. The uncovering of an area from beneath a glacier or ice sheet by shrinkage of melting ice. Discharge area. The location at which water leaves an aquifer, such as a stream. Drainage divide. The boundary between drainage basins; a topographic divide. Drawdown. The distance by which a water table is lowered as a result of pumping. Drift. Rock material (clay, silt, sand, gravel, boulders) transported by a glacier and deposited directly by the ice or water emanating from it. Includes both stratified and unsorted material. Drumlin. A streamlined hill or ridge of drift with the long axis parallel to the direction of flow of the former glacier. Esker. A narrow ridge of gravelly or sandy drift deposited by a stream bounded by glacier ice. Evapotranspiration. Loss of water from a land area through transpiration by plants and evaporation from the soil. Fragipan. A dense subsurface layer in the soil zone whose hardness and relatively low permeability are chiefly due to extreme compactness rather than high clay content. Contains much silt and sand but little clay and organic matter. Ground water. Water saturating a geologic stratum beneath land surface; all water below the water table. Hardness (water). A property of water causing formation of an insoluble residue when water is used with soap, and forming a scale in vessels from which water has evaporated. Primarily due to ions of calcium and magnesium (CaC03). Generally expressed in milligrams per liter. Head, static. The height of the surface of a water column that could be supported by the pressure of ground water at a given point. Hydraulic conductivity. A measure of thf ability of a soil or rock material to transmit water. Hydraulic gradient. The change in static head per unit of distance in a given direction. If not specified, the direction is generally understood to be that of the maximum rate of decrease in head. 'Most definitions are quoted or paraphrased from Bates, R.L. and Jackson, J.A., eds., 1980. Glossary of Geology, second edition: Falls Church, Va., American Geological Institute, 749 p. 2From Waller and Finch (1982). vi ------- GLOSSARY (continued) Ice-contact deposits. Stratified drift deposited in contact with melting glacier ice. Kame. A low, steep-sided hill of stratified drift, formed in contact with glacier ice. Kame terrace. A terracelike body of stratified drift deposited between a glacier and an adjacent valley wall. Lacustrine deposit. Sand, clay, or silt deposited in a lake environment. Loam. A rich, permeable soil, sometimes called topsoil, with approximately equal proportions of clay, silt, and sand, generally containing organic matter. Lodgment till. Basal till plastered upon bedrock or other glacial deposits beneath a glacier, containing stones commonly oriented with their long axes parallel to the direction of ice movement. Milligrams per liter (mg/L). A unit for expressing the concentration of a chemical constituent in solution; that is, the weight of constituent (thousandths of a gram) per unit volume (liter) of water. Micrograms per liter (ug/L). A unit for expressing the concentration of a trace constituent in solution; that is, the weight of constituent (millionth of a gram) per unit volume (liter) of water. Moraine. An accumulation of drift deposited in place by the direct action of ice. Muck. Dark, finely divided, well-decomposed organic material with a high percentage of mineral matter, generally silt; forms surface deposits in some poorly drained areas such as former lake bottoms. NGVD. National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929. Equivalent to mean sea level. Outcrop. An area where a given rock unit is exposed at land surface. Outwash. Stratified drift deposited by meltwater streams beyond active glacier ice. Outwash plain. The surface of a broad body of outwash. Permeability. Property or capacity of a porous rock, sediment, or soil for transmitting a fluid; a measure of the relative ease of fluid flow under unequal pressure. Potentiometric surface. An imaginary surface, either above or below land surface, that represents the level to which water from an aquifer would rise in a tightly cased well. (See "head.") Proglacial lake. A lake formed just beyond the frontal margin of a glacier, generally in contact with the ice. Recharge area. The location at which water can enter an aquifer directly or indirectly; generally an area consisting of a permeable soil zone and underlying rock material that allows precipitation or surface water to reach the water table. Soil zone (horizon). The layer of soil at land surface that has developed characteristics produced through the operation of soil-building processes. The letters A, B, and C are used to designate specific horizons in the soil. Specific conductance. A measure of the ability of water to carry an electric current. A high value indicates a high concentration of dissolved minerals. Specific yield. Ratio of volume of water that a given mass of saturated rock or soil will yield by gravity to the volume of the mass, stated as a percentage. Till. Nonsorted, nonstratified sediment carried or deposited by a glacier. Unconfined aquifer. An aquifer having a water table and containing unconfined water. Unconfined ground water. Ground water having a free water table, not confined under pressure, beneath a relatively impermeable layer. Unconsolidated material. A sediment or rock composed of particles that are not cemented together. Unsaturated zone. The zone between the land surface and the water table, containing water held by capillarity, and containing air or gases generally under atmospheric pressure. Valley fill. Unconsolidated sediment derived from erosion that fills or partly fills a bedrock valley; formed principally by glacial and alluvial processes. Water table. Top of the zone of saturation. Zone of saturation. Part of the water-bearing material in which all voids are ideally filled with water. vii ------- Abbreviations and Factors for Converting Inch-Pound Units to International System (SI) Units Multiply Inch-Pound Units fly To Obtain SI Units inch (in.) 2.540 centimeter (cm) feet (ft.) 0.3048 meter (m) mile (mi.) 1.609 kilometer (k) Square mile (mi2) 2.59 square kilometer (km2) gallon (gal.) 3.785 liter (L) 0.003785 cubic meter (m3) gallons per minute (gal/min) 0.06308 liters per second (L/s) gallons per day (gal/d) 3.785 liters per day (L/d) million gallons per day (Mgal/d) 0.04381 cubic meters per second (m3/s) viii ------- ATLAS OF FOUR SELECTED AQUIFERS IN NEW YORK Compiled by Oliver J. Cosner ABSTRACT Four publicly used surficial-deposit aquifers in New York were mapped in 1983 to provide a basis for their protection from contamination, particularly through underground disposal of wastes. The resulting maps and sections, originally prepared for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and released by the U.S. Geological Survey at a scale of 1:24,000, are presented herein at a reduced scale and in simplified form. Each illustration is accompanied by a short text describing the major features and hydrologic characteristics of the given aquifer. It is intended that these aquifers will join the group of eleven aquifers described by Waller and Finch, 1982. The areas mapped are Cohocton area, Upper Cohocton River; Bath area, Lower Cohocton River; Batavia area, Tonawanda Creek; and Baldwinsville area, Seneca River. The four aquifers are typical of the numerous primary aquifer systems in the glaciated part of New York. In the case of the Cohocton River Valley aquifers the glaciated stream and river valley that was carved in bedrock is now filled with thick deposits of drift that have been partly reworked by postglacial streams. However, in the cases of the Tonawanda Creek and the Seneca River aquifers the valleys are not as well defined or as deep as that of the Cohocton and they are filled with glacial outwash that originated at the edge of the continental ice sheet, thus filling only the exposed favorably located sections of the river valleys and in some instances depositing the outwash on irregular surfaces of till-covered bedrock not related to river valleys. These deposits contain highly permeable saturated sand and gravel, are generally hydraulically connected with the main stream or river, generally have a shallow water table and provide a large reserve of fresh groundwater of acceptable quality for drinking. Interspersed within most of these aquifers are isolated bedrock knobs and scattered layers of till, silt, and clay, which are relatively impermeable and retard the movement of water, locally producing confined (artesian) conditions. In some aquifers, the confined areas are extensive. Of upstate New York's population of 7.9 million (excluding New York City and Long Island), 36 percent, or 2.8 million, use groundwater from community water systems. The aquifers described in this report together supply 6.3 million gallons of groundwater per day to 63,700 people 2.2 percent of the upstate population dependent on groundwater. Wells for public and industrial supply generally yield several hundred gallons per minute. The two most common problems facing those responsible for the long-term protection of these aquifers are (1) lack of knowledge of the groundwater systems, and (2) local vulnerability of the aquifers to contamination from a variety of sources. The chapters present information on present and potential sources of contamination within each area and the types of data needed for future groundwater management. Several maps of each aquifer are included; these depict the surficial geology, soil- zone permeability, aquifer dimensions and well yield, groundwater movement, and land use within the area. Also included are tables of groundwater pumpage and population served and a comprehensive list of references for each aquifer. 1 ------- Aerial view of a pari of the city of Syracuse, A-Sewage treatment plant; B-Junkyard- land fill; C-Tank farm; D-Industrial development; E-Residential development. 2 ------- 1 INTRODUCTION Oliver J. Cosner A. Purpose and scope of study B. Origin of aquifers C. Occurrence and movement of groundwater D. Quality of ground water E. General references 3 ------- 1 INTRODUCTION A. Purpose and scope of study Aquifers are vulnerable to contamination from hazardous wastes In 1979 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency initiated a program for underground injection control with the New York State Health Department in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey. The program was designed to identify the principal aquifers and define their extent and hydrologic characteristics so that contamination by underground disposal of hazardous or toxic wastes could be avoided. The original study summarizes information from eleven heavily used aquifers in New York and is reported in eleven separate map reports which are summarized by Waller and Finch (1982). In 1983 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency contractedwith Engineering Enterprises, Inc., groundwater consultants, to perform similar studies on four additional aquifers in New York and to produce this report which is a corollary to the Waller and Finch (1982) report. New York has numerous unconsolidated-deposit aquifers in well-defined valley systems and in lake-plain areas. These aquifers, in contrast to the underlying bedrock aquifers, are generally highly productive, have water of better quality, and together readily supply 92 million gallons of water to 2.8 million people. Of upstate New York's 7.9 million people (excluding Long Island and New York City), 36 percent depend on groundwater for water supply (New York State Department of Health, 1981). In some regions, the groundwater is vulnerable to contamination, either from surface sources or from underground disposal of wastes. In 1979 the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) undertook a nationwide program of "underground-injection control" (UIC). The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) was designated as the "lead agency" in New York State to evaluate implementation of this Federal program. To protect aquifers used for drinking water against contamination, NYSDOH determined it necessary to identify and describe the aquifers of concern. New York State elected not to pursue primacy in the UIC program after the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) had completed a study of eleven aquifers resulting in eleven map reports released to the USGS's open-file series and the completion of a book report discussing the eleven areas, Waller and Finch (1982), which summarizes the information from the map reports. The UIC program in New York was then assumed as a direct responsibility of EPA and EPA entered into a contract with Engineering Enterprises, Inc., groundwater consultants, to produce reports similar to those mentioned in the above paragraph for four additional aquifer systems (fig. 1 A). As a result, four map reports have been produced and will be released to the USGS's open-file series and the results of these studies are summarized in this report. 4 ------- FIGURE 1A INTRODUCTION Purpose and scope of study N Chapter LOCATION OF AREAS STUDIED Aquifer Area Principal Reference1 2 3 4 5 Cohocton Bath Batavia Baldwinsville Terry and others, 1984 Pagano and others, 1984 Terry and others, 1984 Pagano and others, 1984 ]See list of references, p. 12. 5 ------- 1 INTRODUCTION B. Origin of Aquifers Aquifers occur within glacial valley-fill deposits' Many New York aquifers are valley-fill deposits in well-delineated glaciated bedrock valleys. Meltwater from the ice margins laid down clean, well-sorted sediments in extensive deposits downvalley that today readily yield water to wells. Deposits laid down at ice fronts and along valley walls also are good aquifer material. New York was almost completely glaciated during the ice age, which ended about 11,000 years ago. The preglacial bedrock surface, modified by erosion, had many deeply incised valleys that were subsequently filled with glacial and proglacial-lake and stream deposits. Some valleys still retain lakes developed during glacial retreat; among these are the Finger Lakes in central New York. As the ice melted, the hilltops and valley walls became mantled with unsorted till and scattered, localized ice-contact deposits. Lodgment till is common in the uplands and on the buried bedrock surface in the valleys; ablation till is most common on the upland bedrock surfaces. Meltwater streams deposited well-sorted sediments of sand and gravel size at the ice margins and along the valleys downstream from the ice front. The types of sand and gravel deposits that form the most productive aquifers are outwash and ice-contact material; their mode of formation is shown in figure IB. Most outwash deposits have been modified locally by postglacial streams and are now covered with finer grained flood-plain alluvium. The ice- contact deposits generally remain as kame terraces along the edges of the valleys. Although the terraces are not continuous, they may contain a greater volume of permeable sediments than outwash deposits. Outwash and kame deposits are present to some degree in most every valley in the State where meltwater streams flowed for an extended period over the same course. Outwash deposits cover most valley floors and in many places overlie glacial-lake deposits. Outwash from advancing glaciers or from earlier glaciation may lie beneath the lake-clay deposits, forming buried aquifers (fig. IB), but these are rarely as extensive as those overlying the clay. Kame deposits extend to the base of the valley fill in some areas and are commonly hydraulically connected with buried outwash deposits. The glacial-lake deposits, which are relatively impermeable, may contain sandy zones that yield water to wells. The lake deposits also are saturated and may contribute water to adjacent aquifers. 1 Modified from Waller and Finch (1982) 6 ------- FIGURE 1B INTRODUCTION Origin of aquifers Ice advances over area and gathers load by eroding bedrock. Later, at the base of ice, rock fragments are deposited to form till. (See below.] Ice begins to melt. Sand and gravel (ice-contact] deposits are laid down in a temporary valley between ice and valley wall. Stagnant ice melts. Ice-contact (kame terrace] deposits slope toward center of valley. A glacial lake forms in which clay and silt accumulate. Glacial lake is filled with sediment or is drained. Glacial streams flow over surface of lake deposits and lay down sand and gravel outwash deposits. Recent stream cuts into glacial deposits and lays down alluvium consisting of silt, sand, and gravel. lake deposits From Waller and Finch (1982) 7 ------- 1 INTRODUCTION C. Occurrence and movement of groundwater Precipitation is the ultimate source of groundwater1 Groundwater in most sand and gravel aquifers is under shallow waier-lahle conditions but may be confined (artesian) in local sub-systems. Aquifers are recharged by precipitation that infiltrates through the soil and also by infiltration from streams. Groundwater moves downward and toward streams and lakes, where it is discharged. The source of groundwater is precipitation and snowmelt. Of the total precipitation, some runs off the hillsides as rivulets into streams, some evaporates or is transpired hack to the atmosphere by plants, and the remainder infiltrates into the ground. Of the infiltrating water, some is retained in the soil /one, and the remainder reaches the water table (fig. 1C). Depending on many factors, the percentage of annual precipitation that reaches the water table in New York ranges from 20 to 50 percent. During the growing season, most of the water entering the soil zone replenishes soil moisture or is taken up by plant roots; thus, most recharge occurs from late fall to early spring. Precipitation generally ranges from 30 inches on the Lake Ontario Plain to 50 inches in southeastern New York. The soil zone (weathered, organic-rich layer) is a principal factor in infiltration potential, but land use and permeability of underlying material may determine how much infiltrated water will reach the aquifer. Urbanization and associated modifications to the land surf ace, such as paving, severely reduce recharge locally. In addition, much runoff in urban areas is diverted by storm sewers to streams, further reducing the recharge. Once water reaches the water table, it moves downgradient, generally parallel to a land surface, until it emerges at low points such as nearby streams, lakes, or swamps. Part of it also moves downward into the deep system and moves through the fractures in bedrock (fig. IC). In valley-fill aquifers, most of the water ultimately discharges as base flow to the main stream in the valley. Groundwater occurs under both water-table (shallow) and confined (artesian) conditions, as shown in figure 1C. In the water-table systems, groundwater is in contact with the unsaturated zone, whereas in the confined systems it is separated from the water-table system or Ihe unsaturated zone by a confining layer of silt or clay and is commonly under pressure. In New York, most confining layers consist of clay or silt layers that formed on lake bottoms above a layer of unconsolidated permeable material. Many aquifer systems contain both water-table and confined conditions; in such systems, each aquifer has a different water level (potentiometric-surface altitude). 'From Waller and Finch (1982) 8 ------- FIGURE 1C INTRODUCTION Occurrence and movement of ground water Bedrock Not to scale Bedrock X Occurrence of ground water under water-table and artesian conditions. Arrows indicate direction of flow From Waller and Finch (1982) 9 ------- 1 INTRODUCTION D. Quality of groundwater Ground-water quality has deteriorated locally1 The quality of water in the valley-fill aquifers of New York is generally adequate for drinking. The characteristics that cause the most frequent difficulties are excessive iron and hardness. Toxic materials derived from wastes are becoming more prevalent in parts of some aquifers. Water changes in chemical quality as it moves through the aquifers because chemical constituents from the soil zone and the aquifer material become dissolved in the water. Water quality can also change with temperature, with the introduction of substances from waste discharges, and with fluctuations in recharge rate. A measure of water quality is the dissolved-solids concentration- the sum of all dissolved constituents in a given volume of water. Stream water during base flow, when all surface runoff from recent precipitation has dissipated, consists solely of discharged groundwater. Thus, the chemical quality of stream water during base flow generally is representative of water quality in the adjacent aquifers. The general range of dissolved-solids concentration in the base flow of streams in upstate New York is shown in the map in Figure ID. Temperature of groundwater is commonly between 47-55° F but may vary seasonally in aquifers that are in hydraulic contact with streams. In such systems, groundwater temperatures may fluctuate by as much as 30° F seasonally (Randall, 1977). Groundwater quality is also affected by wastes. For example, wastes generated in domestic and industrial practices may eventually reach the aquifers. Hydrocarbons, lead from leaded gasoline, and asbestos from brake linings are found in soils adjacent to roads and may infiltrate the underlying aquifers. Organic constituents from industrial, agricultural, and other types of wastes are also found in groundwater. Unfortunately, detailed chemical procedures are needed to detect the presence of these constituents in groundwater. Typical sources of contamination to groundwater bodies are depicted in the lower part of figure ID. In recent years, toxic wastes in groundwater have been identified in some areas. Public- supply wells in 11 New York counties, and numerous private systems statewide, have been closed as a result of contamination. A few comprehensive surveys of dangerous constituents in groundwater have been made. In two recent studies, 40 community water systems tapping valley-fill aquifers (several included herein) in New York were analyzed for organic chemicals (Kim and Stone, 1979, and Schroederand Snavely, 1981). Traces of organic chemicals were found in water from many of the aquifers, and concentrations of several chemicals were relatively high. The New York State Department of Health has recently conducted two additional surveys for organic chemicals in groundwater sources of community water systems (New York State Department of Health, 1982 a, b). 'From Waller and Finch (1982) 10 ------- FIGURE 1D INTRODUCTION Quality of ground water Schematic profile illustrating some typical processes by which ground-water resources become contaminated. (Modified from U.S. Geological Survey, 1982) CANADA VERMONT MASSACHUSETTS CONNECTICUT PENNSYLVANIA Buried wastes Wei I Average dissolved-solids concentration of streams at base flow, 1950-65, in milligrams per liter. (Data from U.S. Geological Survey) Deep-well injection lis From Waller and Finch (1982) 11 ------- 1 INTRODUCTION E. General references Asseltine, E.S., and Grossman, I.G., 1956, Saline waters in New York State, upstate New York: State of New York Water Power and Control Commission Bulletin 36. Cline, M.G., 1961, Soils and soil associations of New York, revised: Ithaca, N.Y., Cornell University Extension Bulletin 930, 63 p. Cline, M.G., and Marshall, R.L. (compilers), 1977a, General soil map of New York State: Ithaca, N.Y., Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station, 1 sheet, 1:750,000 scale. 1977b, Soils of New York landscapes: Ithaca, N.Y., Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Information Bulletin 119, 62 P- Coates, D.R. (ed.), and others, 1963, Geology of south-central New York: New York State Geological Association, 116 p. Crain, L.J., 1966, Ground-water resources of the Jamestown area, New York, with emphasis on the hydrology of the major stream valleys: New York State Water Resources Commission Bulletin 58, 167 p. Fisher, D.W., and others, 1970, Geologic map of New York: New York State Museum and Science Service Map and Chart Series 15, 6 sheets, 1:250,000 scale. Fullerton, D.S., 1980, Preliminary correlation of post-Erie Interstadial events (16,000-10,000 radiocarbon years Before Present), central and eastern Great Lakes region, and Hudson, Champlain, and St. Lawrence Lowlands, United States and Canada: U.S. Geological Survey Professional paper 1089, 52 p. [Contains 10 pages of selected references.] Geological Society of America, 1959, Glacial map of the United States east of the Rocky Mountains: Geological Society of America, 2 sheets. Heath, R.C., 1964, Ground water in New York: New York State Water Resources Commission Bulletin GW-51, 1 sheet. Hollyday, E.F., 1969, An appraisal of the ground- water resources of the Susquehanna River basin in New York State: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report, 52 p. Kantrowitz, I.H., 1964, Groundwater Resources of the Syracuse area: New York State Geological Association Guidebook, 36th annual meeting, p. 35-38. Kim, N.K., and Stone, D.W. [1979], Organic chemicals and drinking water: New York State Department of Health, 132 p. Knox, C.E., and Nordenson, T.J., 1955, Average annual runoff and precipitation in the New England-New York area: U.S. Geological Survey Hydrologic Investigations Atlas HA-7, 6 p. LaSala, A.M., Jr., 1968, Ground-water resources of the Erie-Niagara basin, New York: New York State Conservation Department Basin Planning Report ENB-3, 114 p. MacNish, R.D., and others, 1969, Bibliography of the ground-water resources of New York through 1967: New York State Water Resources Commission Bulletin 66, 186 p. Miller, W.J., 1913, The geological history of New York State: New York State Museum Bulletin 168, 149 p. [Revised 1924 as Bulletin 255.] National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, 1972 [1974], Water quality criteria 1972: Washington, D.C., National Academy of Sciences, 594 p. New York State Department of Health, 1954, Public water supply data: New York State Department of Health Bulletin 19, 44 p. 1973, A study of chemicals in drinking water from selected public aquifer systems, New York State, October 1970 to March 1971: New York State Department of Health, Public Water Supply Report, 30 p. 1974, A study of chemicals in drinking systems, New York State, May 1971 through April 1972: New York State Department of Health, Public Water Supply Report, 83 p. 1975, A study of chemicals in water in selected community water systems. New York State, May 1972 through May 1973: New York State Department of Health, Community Water Systems Report, 91 p. [1977], A study of chemicals in water from selected community water systems with major emphasis in the Mohawk and Hudson River basins, New York State Department of Health, Community Water Systems Report, 64 p. 12 ------- 1 INTRODUCTION E. General references [198I], Report on ground water dependence in New York State: New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Public Water Supply, 49 p. 1982a, Report on 1981 water-quality surveillance survey of community water systems: New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Public Water Supply Protection, 60 p. 1982b, Report on EPA's 1981 ground-water surveillance survey of community water systems: New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Public Water Supply Protection, 30 p. Pagano, T.S., Terry, D.B., Shaw, M L. and Ingram, A.W., 1984a, Geohydrology of the valley-fill aquifer in the Bath area, Lower Cohocton River, Steuben County, New York: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report (in publication), 7 sheets, 1:24,000 scale. Pagano, T.S., Terry, D.B., and Ingram, A.W., 1984b, Geohydrology of the glacial-outwash aquifers in the Baldwinsville area, Seneca River, Onondaga County, New York: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report (in publication), 7 sheets, 1:24,000 scale. Rafter, G. W., 1905, Hydrology of the State of New York: New York State Museum Bulletin 85, 902 P- Randall, A.D., 1972, Records of wells and test borings in the Susquehanna River basin, New York: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Bulletin 69, 92 p. Randall, A.D., 1977, The Clinton Street-Ballpark aquifer in Binghamton and Johnson City, New York: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Bulletin 73, 87 p. Safe Drinking Water Committee, 1977, Drinking water and health: Washington, D.C., National Academy of Sciences, 939 p. Schroeder, R.A., and Snavely, D.S., 1981, Survey of selected organic compounds in aquifers of New York State excluding Long Island: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations 81-47, 60 p. Terry, D.B., Pagano, T.S., Shaw, M.L., and Ingram, A.W., 1984a, Geohydrology of the valley-fill aquifer in the Cohocton area. Upper Cohocton River, Steuben County, New York: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report (in publication), 7 sheets, 1:24,000 scale. Terry, D.B., Pagano, T.S., and Ingram, A.W., 1984b, Geohydrology of the glacial-outwash aquifer in the Batavia area, Tonawanda Creek, Genesee County, New York: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report (in publication), 7 sheets, 1:24,000 scale. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1976 [1977], Quality criteria for water: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 256 p. U.S. Geological Survey, 1965, Ground-water levels in the United States 1958-62, Northeastern States: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 1782, p. 122-160. 1980, Chemical quality of water from community systems in New York, November 1970 to May 1975: U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Investigations 80-77, 444 p. 1982, U.S. Geological Survey Activities, Fiscal year 1981: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 875, 161 p. U.S. Public Health Service, 1964, Municipal water facilities inventory as of January 1, 1963, region 2, (Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania): U.S. Public Health Service Publication 775, v.2, 168 p. Waller, R.M., and Finch, A.J., 1982, Atlas of eleven selected aquifers in New York: U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Investigations Open-File Report 82-553, 255 p. Weeks, F.B., 1903, New York, in Fuller, M.L., and others, Contributions to the hydrology of the eastern United States: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Supply and Irrigation Paper 102, p. 169- 206. Wyrick, C.G., 1968, Ground-water resources of the Appalacian Region: U.S. Geological Survey Hydrologic Investigations Atlas H-295, 4 sheets. 13 ------- 14 ------- 2 COHOCTON AREA By David B. Terry A. Location and major geographic features B. Population and groundwater use C. Geologic setting D. Geohydrology E. Aquifer thickness F. Groundwater movement G. Well yields H. Soil-zone permeability I. Land use J. Present and potential problems K. Selected references 15 ------- 2 COHOCTON AREA A. Location and major geographic features This aquifer underlies the headwaters of the Cohocton River This area is largely rural, with southward drainage to the Susquehanna River system. The Cohocton area lies in the northwestern corner of Steuben County. The aquifer occupies several broad valleys draining the rolling glaciated uplands. The valley floor slopes gently southward. Terraces and moraines form higher topography 100 to 400 feet above the valley floor. Glacial moraines form drainage divides where two northern valleys intersect the Cohocton valley, near Wayland and North Cohocton. The aquifer underlies 26 square miles of the valley floor 0.5 to 2.0 miles wide, and is continuous with the Bath area aquifer to the southwest. South of Wayland, an aquifer underlies a valley drained by Mill Brook, part of the Genesee River drainage basin, and is considered a part of the Cohocton aquifer system. 16 ------- FIGURE 2A COHOCTON AREA Location and major geographic features 17 ------- 2 COHOCTON AREA B. Population and groundwater use This aquifer provides water to about 6,600 people Three community water systems and many private users rely upon groundwater supplies. This aquifer serves nearly 6,600 people. The Village of Wayland is the largest user, and draws 250,000 gallons daily from two wells. The Village of Cohocton is another major user, and also draws 150,000 gallons daily from two wells. The hamlet of North Cohocton also operates a small water system, drawing 60,000 gallons daily from a single well (see fig. 2B). Population trends in this area indicate that current sources of groundwater will be more than adequate to meet future needs. 18 ------- FIGURE 2B COHOCTON AREA Population and groundwater use Population and Pumpage From Cohocton Area, 1980 Source Population' Served (Average Pumpage) (Mgaljd) B. 450 1,846 150 MUNICIPAL COMMUNITY WATER SYSTEMS 1. Village of Cohocton 902 2. North Cohocton 3. Village of Wayland Town of Wayland OTHER COMMUNITY WATER SYSTEMS Trailer Parks 250 PRIVATE WATER SUPPLIES 100 gpd assumed *3,000 Total 6,598 0.15 0.06 0.25 0.01 0.30 0.78 'Data from New York State Department of Health, 1982 ~Estimated 19 ------- 2 COHOCTON AREA C. Geologic Setting The valleys contain thick unconsolidated deposits overlying the shale and siltstone bedrock Glacial till mantles the upland hills, and meltwater deposits partly fill the bedrock valleys. Sand and gravel deposits are predominate in the valleys. The preglacial topography in this area has been highly modified by glacial erosion and deposition. Erosion by glacial ice widened and deepened the valleys, steepening valley walls, and rounding the upland hills. During ice recession, glacial till was deposited on the uplands, and glacial meltwater sediments were deposited in the valleys. Periodic stationary positions of the ice sheet during retreat produced hummocky, coarse grained moraines, or ice- disintegration deposits, in the valleys at the glacier margin (fig. 2C). Glacial meltwater deposits in the valleys typically consist of coarse grained sand and gravel deposited by meltwater streams, and finer grained silt and clay deposited in pro-glacial lakes. These deposits are interstratified throughout the Cohocton River valley (see fig. 2D). Coarse grained deposits are classified according to their proximity to the ice during deposition. Ice- contact sand and gravel was deposited next to glacial ice, and is relatively poorly sorted. Outwash sand and gravel was deposited some distance from the ice, and is relatively well- sorted. The outwash and ice-contact sand and gravel are the most productive water-bearing components of the aquifer. Fine grained alluvium on floodplains, and coarse grained alluvial fans along valley walls were deposited after glaciation. These deposits are in hydraulic contact with the glacial meltwater sediments underlying them and are considered part of the aquifer material. 20 ------- FIGURE 2C COHOCTON AREA Geologic setting Aquifer boundary Extent of mapped area Direction of flow ' I i I i I 3ase from Engineering Enterprises Modified from Terry and Pagano, 1984 1 1 1 1 1 77°35' 77°32'30" 77°30' 77°27'30" 77°25' -42°35' 42°32'30"- Š42°30' Till over bedrock 0 1 2 1 I I MILES Ice-disintegration deposits Muck - 42°27'30" EXPLANATION Outwash and alluvial sand and gravel Note: Y-Y' is on the Bath Area, Chapter 3. - 42°25r Ice-contact sand and gravel (kame deposits) Open water areas 21 ------- 2 COHOCTON AREA D. Geohydrology This aquifer consists of outwash and ice-contact sand and gravel The widened and deepened valleys are partly filled with outwash, lake deposits, and ice-disintegration deposits. Thickness of sediments ranges from 100-300 feet in the main valley. Unconsolidated sediments in the valleys consist of outwash and ice-contact sand and gravel, lake silt and clay, ice disintegration deposits, and till. Generalized sections show the positions of these deposits in three parts of the valley (fig. 2D). Outwash and ice-contact sand and gravel comprise the principal aquifer. Fine-grained deposits such as lake silt and clay retard groundwater movement, and in some places divide the aquifer material into upper and lower and, in some cases, intermediate units. In the Wayland area, the principal aquifer is in outwash material, deposited above lake silt and clay (section AA', fig. 2D). In the North Cohocton-Atlanta area, aquifer material is divided into several units by fine grained lake deposits. Aquifer material in the ice- disintegration deposits is discontinuous (section BB', fig. 2D). In the Cohocton area, a surficial aquifer of outwash and ice-contact sand and gravel exceeds 100' in thickness (section CC\ fig. 2D). 22 ------- FIGURE 2D COHOCTON AREA Geohydrology FEET (X1000) Vertical exaggeration: x 20 Locations of sections shown on figure 2 E EXPLANATION Muck Outwash and alluvial sand and gravel Ice-contact deposits Lake silt and clay Ice-disintegration deposits Till Bedrock Saturated aquifer material Water table Modified from Terry and Pagano, 1984 23 ------- 2 COHOCTON AREA E. Aquifer Thickness The surficial aquifer is generally 30-50' thick, but exceeds 100' in places The surficial aquifer is thickest in the vienity of the Village of Cohoclon. Saturated thickness of the surficial aquifer in the Cohocton area is shown in figure 2E. The values represent the estimated thickness of saturated unconsolidated sediments from the water table to the top of the first continuous impermeable unit. The thickest part of the aquifer, near Cohocton, exceeds 100 feet in thickness. In some areas, the surficial aquifer is underlain by potentially more productive buried aquifers. The thicknesses of these buried aquifers are largely unknown, and are not reflected on the map in figure 2E. See well-yield section (fig. 2G) for the locations of the buried aquifers. 24 ------- FIGURE 2E COHOCTON AREA Aquifer thickness 25 ------- 2 COHOCTON AREA F. Groundwater movement Groundwater moves toward the stream and parallels the surface topography Groundwater in this aquifer moves predominantly southeastward and discharges to the Cohocton River, and as underflow to the Bath area aquifer to the southeast. The map in figure 2F indicates the average altitude of the water table within this aquifer system. Groundwater moves from areas of recharge toward rivers and streams. The groundwater gradient conforms generally to the land surface, except near Wayland, where a groundwater divide occurs across the nearly flat valley floor. Recharge to the aquifer occurs from precipitation directly on the valley floor, from stream infiltration where upland streams enter the major valleys, and from the bedrock. Total recharge to this aquifer is estimated to be over 13 Mgal/d. Discharge occurs primarily as seepage to streams, underflow to the Bath aquifer to the southeast, and as pumpage from wells. Seasonal variation of water levels in this aquifer are represented by the hydrograph below. Fluctuation of the water table is due to high recharge during the spring and discharge with low recharge during the late summer and autumn. o> CM a < Hydrograph of Water Levels in Observation Well Sb 471, Cohocton, N.Y. 26 ------- FIGURE 2F COHOCTON AREA Ground-water movement 77°35' 77°32'30" 77°30' 42°35' 77°27'30" jgp £ 77°25' - 42°25" 42°32'30"- -1300 SM71 2 EXPLANATION Water-table contour. Interval 20 feet Datum is sea level (NGVD if 1929). Arrow shows direction of groundwater flow Major inflow to aquifer Groundwater divide Major outflow from aquifer Aquifer boundary Extent of mapped area Direction of flow Observation well (Hydrograph on facing page) Location of selected community and industrial water system wells or well fields (Number corresponds to wells listed in figure 2B) Note: Y-Y' is on the Bath Area, Chapter 3. Base from Engineering Enterprises Modified from Terry and Pagano, 1984 27 ------- 2 COHOCTON AREA G. Well yields Well yields over 1000 gallons per minute are available in many places Yields to properly constructed wells may exceed 1000gallons per minute in much of this aquifer. Yields are smaller where saturated thickness is thin or the aquifer materiaI is of lower permeability. Well-yield prediction is difficult in this valley-fill aquifer due to inhomogeneity of the unconsolidated sediments. Well yields presented on this map (fig. 2G) are estimated based upon yields obtained from similar aquifers elsewhere in the Susquehanna basin (Hollyday, 1969; MacNish and Randall, 1982). The higher yields are generally available where the saturated thickness of coarse sediments is greater than 40 feet. Well yields are lower where the saturated sediments are thinner, or of lower permeability. In some areas, the surface aquifer is underlain by more productive buried aquifers. These buried aquifers are separated from the surface aquifer by relatively impermeable silt and clay strata. Areas where buried aquifers are potentially more productive than the surface aquifer are indicated on this map. Few hydrologic data are available from these buried aquifers. 28 ------- FIGURE 2G COHOCTON AREA Well yields 29 ------- 2 COHOCTON AREA H. Soil-zone permeability Soils overlying this aquifer have moderate to high permeability Soils of moderate to high permeability overlie this aquifer; soils of low to very low permeability mantle the adjacent hillsides. Runoff from the hillsides flows onto the soils that overlie the aquifer, whose high infiltration potential enables rapid recharge of the aquifer. The map of soil-zone permeability (fig. 2H) indicates the degree to which water can be transmitted to the aquifer through the soil zone. This map is based upon soils maps of Steuben County (French and others, 1978), which were used to estimate the permeability of the B horizon. Soils of low permeability are generally those derived from till, lake sediments, and fine- grained alluvium on floodplains. These soils produce high runoff, which flows either overland to more permeable valley-floor sediments, or into adjacent streams. Soils of high permeability are generally those derived from glacial outwash or coarse alluvial material, and permit rapid recharge of the underlying aquifer. Soil-zone permeability may be used to estimate the rate at which dissolved or suspended pollutants could migrate into the underlying aquifer. Estimates of soil-zone permeability can guide planners in determining the suitability of specific sites for various types of development. 30 ------- FIGURE 2H COHOCTON AREA Soil-zone permeability Base from Engineering Enterprises Modified from Terry and Pagano, 1984 1 1 I 1 i 77°35' 77°32'30" 77°30' 77°27'30" 77°25' 42°32'30"- -42°30' - 42°27'30" EXPLANATION Infiltration classification Very low - 42°25' Moderate Moderate to high Too variable to estimate Aquifer boundary Extent of mapped area Direction of flow -42°35' STEUBEN CO 1 2 I | MILES Note: Y-Y' is on the Bath Area, Chapter 3. " 31 ------- 2 COHOCTON AREA I. Land use Most of this area is agricultural Wayland and Cohocton, the two major population centers, are surrounded by farmland. Residential and commerical development is centered along a major transportation corridor. Outside the villages of Wayland and Cohocton, the area is primarily agricultural. The major categories of land use are depicted in figure 21. Light industrial development is located along Interstate Highway 390, which extends from northwest to southeast as unit 4 on figure 21. Potato farming is predominant throughout the marshy valley floor area. Sand and gravel mining operations are common in the kame terrace deposits on the valley walls. Well fields for the three community water systems are all located near residential and industrial areas. The highly permeable sediments in these areas allow rapid migration of potential pollutants into the aquifer. 32 ------- FIGURE 21 COHOCTON AREA Land use - 42°35' 77°35' 77°32'30" -r 77°30' 77°27' 30" 77°25' 42°32'30"- - 42°27'30" - 42°25' EXPLANATION Land use categories I Residential, commercial and services 2 Forestiand, open land, water and wetlands Industrial and extractive industry Note: Y-Y' is on the Bath Area, Chapter 3. " 4 Transportation Farmland Aquifer boundary Extent of mapped area Direction of flow _l_ Base from Engineering Enterprises Modified from Terry and Pagano, 1984 33 ------- 2 COHOCTON AREA J. Present and potential problems Residential, industrial, and agricultural practices have increased the potential for groundwater contamination Pesticides and fertilizers can easily enter the aquifer. Residential and industrial development on the land overlying this aquifer has increased the potential for groundwater contamination. Leaks from petroleum storage tanks, unsafe waste disposal practices, and road salting all contribute to the deterioration of groundwater quality. Agricultural practices in this area may also contribute to the contamination of groundwater. Toxic pesticides such as aldicarb, used extensively by potato farmers in this area, could easily enter the aquifer. Soils near those farms are generally highly permeable. High concentrations of nitrate have been observed in wells in the Village of Cohocton. This may be the result of dissolved fertilizers migrating into the aquifer. Groundwater quality for community water systems in this area is monitored by the New York State Department of Health, and is documented in a recent publication (U.S. Geological Survey, 1980). 34 ------- 2 COHOCTON AREA K. Selected references Denny, C.S., and Lyford, W.H., 1963, Surficial geology and soils of the Elmira-Williamsport region, New York and Pennsylvania: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 379, 60 p. French, L.M., Wulforst, J.P., Broad, W.A., Bauter, P.R., and Guthrie, R.L., 1978, Soil survey of Steuben County, New York, U.S. Soil Conservation Service, 120 p. Hollyday, E.F., 1969, An appraisal of the ground- water resources of the Susquehanna River basin in New York State: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report, 52 p. Hood, J.B., Johnston, W.H., Zajd, H.J., and Dixson, H.L., 1982, Water Resources data: New York, Water Year 1982, Vol. 3, Western N.Y.: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Data Report 82- 3, 208 p. MacNish, R.D., and Randall, A.D., 1982, Stratified-drift aquifers in the Susquehanna River basin, New York: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Bulletin 75, 68 p. New York State Department of Health, 1981, Report on ground water dependence in New York State: Bureau of Public Water Supply Protection, 49 p. New York State Department of Health, 1982, New York State atlas of community water system sources. Bureau of Public Water Supply Protection, 79 p. Randall, A.D., 1972, Records of wells and test borings in the Susquehanna River basin, New York: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Bulletin 69, 92 p. Teetor-Dobbins Consulting Engineers, 1971, Steuben County comprehensive public water supply study: New York State Department of Health, Comprehensive Public Water Supply Study, CPWS-51, 9 chap. Terry, D.B., Pagano, T.S., Shaw, M.L., and Ingram, A. W., 1984, Geohydrology of the valley- fill aquifer in the Cohocton area, Upper Cohocton River, Steuben County, New York: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report (in publication), 7 sheets, 1:24,000 scale. U.S. Geological Survey, 1980, Chemical quality of water from community systems in New York, November 1970 to May 1975: U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Investigations 80-77, 444 p. Waller, R.M., and Finch, A.J., 1982, Atlas of eleven selected aquifers in New York: U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Investigations Open-File Report 82-553, 255 p. 35 ------- 36 ------- 3 BATH AREA By Timothy S. Pagano A. Location and major geographic features B. Population and groundwater use C. Geologic setting D. Geohydrology E. Aquifer thickness F. Groundwater movement G. Well yields H. Soil-zone permeability I. Land use J. Present and potential problems K. Selected references 37 ------- BATH AREA A. Location and major geographic features This aquifer underlies the central Cohocton River valley and several major tributaries Several north and south-flowing tributary streams of the Cohocton River, as well as the river itself, occupy the valleys which contain this aquifer. The Village of Bath, county seat of Steuben County, is the largest community in this area. The Bath area is in the center of Steuben County. In addition to the Cohocton River valley, this aquifer occupies large portions of the Fivemile, Mud, Stocking, Campbell, and Goff Creek valleys (fig. 3 A). In the other smaller tributary streams, this aquifer usually extends a short way up the valleys. The Cohocton River drains southeast into the Chemung River, which is a tributary to the Susquehanna River. This aquifer underlies 38 square miles of valley floor that ranges in altitude from 1026 to 1200 feet above NGVD and is from 0.2 to 1.2 miles wide. The rolling uplands, which rise quite distinctly from the valley floors, reach altitudes as high as 1900 feet. A major groundwater divide (fig. 3F) just north of the Village of Bath separates the Keuka Lake aquifer, south of Keuka Lake, from the Bath aquifer. Keuka Lake is off the mapped area. To the northwest, the Bath aquifer is continuous with the Cohocton area aquifer, and to the southeast is continuous with the Corning area aquifer (see Miller and others, 1982). 38 ------- PAGE NOT AVAILABLE DIGITALLY ------- 3 BATH AREA B. Population and groundwater use This aquifer provides water to about 13,000 people About 1.75 million gallons per day is obtained from this aquifer. The Village of Bath is responsible for pumping more than half of this amount. This aquifer supplies an average of 1.75 million gallons of water per day to a population of approximately 13,000 people. Besides the municipal community users, 10 trailer parks, a Veterans Administration Hospital, and several thousand private domestic users take water from the aquifer daily. The Village of Bath withdraws 1.1 million gallons per day from three wells located close to the village. The Village of Avoca water supply comes from three springs along Cotton Creek, northwest of the village. 40 ------- FIGURE 3B BATH AREA Population and groundwater use POPULATION AND PUMPAGE FROM BATH AREA, 1984 Source Population' Served Average Pumpage (Mgal/d) MUNICIPAL COMMUNITY WATER SYSTEMS 1. Village of Bath 6,100 2. Village of Avoca 1.250 Subtotal 7,350 B. OTHER COMMUNITY WATER SYSTEMS 1. Veterans Administration Hosp. 2. Trailer parks (10) Subtotal C. PRIVATE WATER SUPPLIES Home Use of 100 gallons per day per capita is assumed Total 1,500 5 528 2,028 3,700 13,078 31.100 JQ.IOO 1.200 <0.200 *0.053 0.253 ~0.300 1.753 Data from New York State Department of Health (1982) Unpublished data from Bath Electric, Gas and Water Systems, 1984 Modified from Teetor and Dobbins (1971) Unpublished data from Bath Veterans Administration Hospital, 1984 Modified from New York State Department of Health (1982) Estimated 41 ------- 3 BATH AREA C. Geologic setting A variety of glacially derived sediments cover most of this area Glacial till covers most of the uplands. Glacial outwash, ice-disintegration deposits, and ice-contact stratified drift are found mostly in the valleys. PostglaciaUy deposited alluvium covers large areas of the valley floor. When the glaciers advanced over this area they widened and deepened the valleys, steepened the valley sides, and rounded off the upland hilltops. This erosion greatly changed the preglacial topography of this area. During deglaciation, glacial till was deposited from under the ice, covering mostly the uplands (fig. 3C). In the valleys, where the glacier stopped or retreated slowly, hummocky, morainic, ice-disintegration deposits were formed at the front of the glacier as seen north of Bath (fig. 3C). In isolated upland areas where ice stagnated, the poorly sorted ice-disintegration deposits have also been found. Proglacial lakes were often formed in the valleys between the ice and morainic barriers of sediment down valley. Extensive layers of silt and clay were deposited and are usually found beneath more recent outwash and alluvium. Most of the valley floor consists of outwash, a very permeable, coarse grained deposit. Ice-contact deposits occur as terrace-like forms along some of the valley sides. PostglaciaUy, streams have deposited fine-grained alluvium on the valley floors, and coarse- grained alluvium along the valley sides, as alluvial fans. 42 ------- PAGE NOT AVAILABLE DIGITALLY ------- 3 BATH AREA D. Geohydrology In this aquifer, the permeable, water-bearing sediments are interbedded with relatively impermeable sediments The aquifer material in these valleys consists of outwash sand and gravel, ice-contact sand and gravel, and ice-disintegration deposits. The relatively impermeable lake silts and clays are interbedded with the aquifer materials in many places within these valleys. In some places the valley fill reaches depths of 190 feet. Figure 3D shows generalized geologic sections from this area. Outwash sand and gravel provides the most permeable and abundant aquifer material (see sections A-A' and C-C'). Thick outwash deposits are widespread, particularly in the Cohocton River valley. Ice-contact stratified drift is less common, but its position adjacent to the hillsides also makes it an important recharge area to the aquifer. Ice-disintegration deposits (see sections B-B' and D-D') usually provide scattered and discontinuous pockets of aquifer material. The relatively impermeable lake silts and clays occur throughout these valleys, underlying or interbedded with the aquifer materials (see sections A-A', B-B', C-C", and D-D^. Till is sometimes found in the valleys, on top of bedrock, but provides little, if any, capacity as an aquifer. All sediments in the valleys are referred to as valley fill and near Bath measured thickness is as much as 190feet. 44 ------- FIGURE 3D BATH AREA Geo hydro logy 0 2 4 6 8 10 1 1 I I I I FEET (X1000) Vertical exaggeration: x 20 Locations of sections shown on figure 3 E Modified from Pagano and Terry, 1984 o > a EXPLANATION o > o z LU > o Outwash and alluvial sand and gravel Lake sand, silt and clay Ice-disintegration deposits Till Bedrock Saturated aquifer material Water table 1300 1150- C[l\ 1100- 1050- -i ^ \ C\ x > Ll'.vLl '.nLV.n'- 45 ------- 3 BATH AREA E. Aquifer thickness Surflcial outwash sand and gravel ranges from 20 to 40 feet in most places in the Cohocton River Valley Besides surficial aquifers, potentially thick buried aquifers are found beneath relatively impermeable sediments throughout this area. The thickness of aquifer material in the ice-disintegration deposits is extremely variable. Figure 3E shows the saturated thickness of the surficial aquifer to the top of a relatively impermeable layer of lake silt and clay, till, or bedrock. Most surficial aquifer sediments range from 20 to 40 feet thick. Ice-disintegration deposits are not as uniform in thickness or in content as the other aquifer materials and therefore, these deposits are inconsistent and extremely variable. Buried aquifers are quite extensive throughout these valleys (see figure 3G for locations and also figure 3D, geologic section A-A^- These aquifers are found beneath lake silt and clay at depths of 50 to somewhere between 100 and 200 feet in this area. A well drilled into bedrock south of the Village of Avoca penetrated 90 feet through a section of a buried aquifer. However, few wells are drilled all the way to bedrock in these valleys and the thicknesses of these buried aquifers are largely unknown. 46 ------- PAGE NOT AVAILABLE DIGITALLY ------- 3 BATH AREA F. Groundwater movement Groundwater flows towards the streams in a downgradient direction following the topography Most of the groundwater flows to the main Cohoeton valley and moves southeastward toward the Corning area aquifer, via surface water or as groundwater flow. The water table contours in figure 3F represent the average altitude of the water table in this aquifer. Groundwater moves downgradient, following the topography toward streams, lakes, swamps, and other low areas. Significant inflow is derived from the Cohoeton aquifer up valley and outflow occurs to the Corning aquifer down valley. Seasonal fluctuations of the water levels in this aquifer are shown below on hydrograph of observation well SB472. Lower water levels during late summer and fall are caused by evapotranspiration and aquifer discharge exceeding recharge. Recharge occurs by direct rainfall seepage into the aquifer, by runoff from adjacent hillsides, streambank storage during periods of high streamflow, and infiltration from streams when the level of the groundwater falls below the level of the stream. at N a o > 12 14 (9 z £ 1210 ^ O ui 119 8 Q 3 Š Š ' ' I 1 1 I L 1973 1974 1976 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 Hydrograph of Water Levels in Observation Well Sb 472, Kanona, N.Y. 48 ------- PAGE NOT AVAILABLE DIGITALLY ------- 3 BATH AREA G. Well yields The surface aquifer in the area surrrounding the Village of Bath has the highest potential well yields. Throughout most of the Cohocton River valley potential well yields from the surface aquifers range from 500 to 10,000 gallons per minute. Large portions of the major tributary valley surface aquifers may also provide significant volumes of water. Well yields for this map (fig. 3G) are based upon work done by Hollyday (1969) and MacNish and Randall (1982). Their data were obtained by analysis of well yields throughout the Susquehanna River basin and the saturated thicknesses of permeable sediments in this area. The areas of the thickest and most permeable sediments have the potential of being the most prolific aquifers. The area surrounding the Village of Bath (lig. Ki) has very thick surface deposits of permeable sand and gravel. In other areas this surface aquifer has either thinner sand and gravel deposits or consists of random, less-permeable morainic deposits. Large portions of the major tributary valley surface aquifers may also provide significant volumes of water. Aquifer areas close to streams can also obtain large amounts of water by infiltration from the stream into the aquifer. In some parts of this area buried aquifers are found below the surface aquifer, separated most often by a relatively impermeable layer of silt and clay. Kittle information is available on these aquifers, but they are potentially more productive than the surface aquifers. 50 ------- PAGE NOT AVAILABLE DIGITALLY ------- BATH AREA H. Soil-zone permeability Soil permeability in these valleys ranges from moderate to high. In general there is moderate to high permeability soils in the valleys, overlying the aquifer, and low permeability soils in the uplands surrounding the aquifer. This situation allows rapid runoff from the uplands which recharges the aquifer in the valley. Soil-zone permeability map (fig. 3H) was constructed using data from the soil survey of Steuben County (French and others, 1978). Permeability is the capacity of soil to transmit water, or other fluids, to the aquifer below. In most cases, the B-horizon of the soil was the limiting layer, but very low permeability fragipans and clay layers occurred in many soils and provided the limits for water infiltration. Outwash and alluvial sand and gravel usually form soils with high permeability, low runoff, low drainage density, and high recharge to the aquifer. Ice-disintegration deposits usually give rise to soils with moderate runoff, drainage density, and recharge. Till, lake silt and clay, and alluvial silt and sand usually form soils with high runoff, high drainage density, and low recharge to any aquifer below. Caution must be taken in the valley area, even where the low permeability alluvium overlies the high permeability, water-bearing outwash. Penetration of the relatively thin alluvium layer exposes the aquifer materials to possible contamination. Throughout most of these valleys the surface aquifer lies at or near the ground surface. 52 ------- PAGE NOT AVAILABLE DIGITALLY ------- 3 BATH AREA I. Land use Most of this area is rural Farm and forest land occupy a large part of this area. Much of the population is centered in the villages of the Cohocton River valley. Most of the land in this area is used for farming or is in forest. Potato growing is one main agricultural use. Sizeable tracts of State reforestation lands occur adjacent to the Fivemileand Mud Creeks valleys. The villages in the Cohocton River valley are the population centers. Small industry and commercial development is concentrated in these villages. The Village of Bath well fields occur in or near several scattered residential and commercial locations on the outskirts of the village. The springs that provide the Village of Avoca water supply are in a rural area outside the village. The valleys of the Cohocton River and Goff Creek have been used as corridors for Routes U.S. 17 and 1-390 (unit 4 on fig. 31). These highways have encouraged development in some areas. 54 ------- PAGE NOT AVAILABLE DIGITALLY ------- 3 BATH AREA J. Present and potential problems The Bath area water quality is good and the quantities are sufficient at present No serious problems exist with this water supply at this time. Recent development may pose some future problems. No known problems exist, at present, with any of the water supplies in this area. However, there are several potential problems. The Village of Bath's wells are located in nearby residential or commercial areas. No problems exist now, but the development around these wells might pose a threat to future water quality. In the southern part of the county localized areas of groundwater have been contaminated by salt stored for use as road salt. Road salt is also used on highways in this area and caution must be used in storage and application. Aldicarb is a very toxic pesticide used in this area, mostly on potato crops. It has already been banned from use on Long Island. Although no traces have been found in water supplies in this area monitoring should be continued. Much groundwater from this area is also used for irrigation. Water levels are being monitored presently to see if limits are needed on these withdrawals. 56 ------- 3 BATH AREA K. Selected References Denny, C.S., and Lyford, W.H., 1963, Surficial geology and soils of the Elmira-Williamsport region, New York and Pennsylvania: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 379, 60 p. French, L.M., Wulforst, J.P., Broad, W.A., Bauter, P.R., and Guthrie, R.L., 1978, Soil survey of Steuben County, New York, U.S. Soil Conservation Service, 120 p. Hollyday, E.F., 1969, An appraisal of the ground- water resources of the Susquehanna River basin in New York State: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report, 52 p. Hood, J.B., Johnston, W.H., Zajd, H.J., and Dixson, H.L., 1982, Water Resources data: New York, Water Year 1982, Vol. 3, Western N.Y.: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Data Report 82- 3, 208 p. MacNish, R.D., and Randall, A.D., 1982, Stratified-drift aquifers in the Susquehanna River basin. New York: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Bulletin 75, 68 p. Miller, T.S.. Stelz, W.G., and others, 1982, Geohydrology of the valley-fill aquifer in the Corning area, Steuben County, New York: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 82-85, 6 sheets, 1:24,000 scale. New York State Department of Health, 1982, New York State atlas of community water system sources, Bureau of Public Water Supply Protection, 709 p. Pagano, T.S., Terry, D.B., Shaw, M.L., and Ingram, A. W., 1984, Geohydrology of the valley- fill aquifer in the Bath area. Lower Cohocton River, Steuben County, New York: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report (in publication) 7 sheets, 1:24,000 scale. Randall, A.D., 1972, Records of wells and test borings in the Susquehanna River basin. New York: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Bulletin 69, 92 p. Teetor-Dobbins Consulting Engineers, 1971, Steuben County comprehensive public water supply study: New York State Department of Health, Comprehensive Public Water Supply Study, CPWS-51, 9 chap. U.S. Geological Survey, 1980, Chemical quality of water from community systems in New York, November 1970 to May 1975: U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Investigations 80-77, 444 p. New York State Department of Health, 1981, Report on ground-water dependence in New York State: Bureau of Public Water Supply, 49 P- Waller, R.M., and Finch, A.J., 1982, Atlas of eleven selected aquifers in New York: U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Investigations Open-File Report 82-553, 255 p. 57 ------- 58 ------- 4 BATAVIA AREA By David B. Terry A. Location and major geographic features B. Population and groundwater use C. Geologic setting D. Geohydrology E. Aquifer thickness F. Groundwater movement G. Well yields H. Soil-zone permeability I. Land use J. Present and potential problems K. Selected references 59 ------- 4 BATAVIA AREA A. Location and major geographic features This aquifer underlies a broad shallow valley on the Allegheny Escarpment The City of Batavia overlies the northern part of the aquifer, and uses it as a major water source. The Batavia area aquifer lies in the central and south central parts of Genesee County. The aquifer occupies a broad shallow valley drained by the Tonawanda Creek; part of the Erie- Niagara drainage basin. The valley is confined by rolling glaciated uplands to the east, and by hummocky morainic deposits to the north and west. The City of Batavia (fig. 4A) occupies the flat, northern floor of the valley. The central and southern parts contain hummocky sand and gravel deposits. The aquifer underlies 23 square miles of the valley floor, which is 1 to 3 miles wide. The aquifer continues beyond the mapped area to the south, where it underlies Attica, N.Y. 60 ------- FIGURE 4A BATAVIA AREA Location and major geographic features 61 ------- 4 BATAVIA AREA B. Population and groundwater use This aquifer provides water to about 22,000 people The City of Batavia depends upon groundwater for much of its water supply. This aquifer serves nearly 22,000 people. The City of Batavia has two well fields that tap the aquifer, and also draws water from the Tonawanda Creek. No other community water systems tap this aquifer, but private and industrial wells proliferate. The table in figure 4B lists the approximate pumpage from the aquifer. The city system began to use groundwater during the early 1960's to augment supply from the Tonawanda Creek. Water quality from the well system is generally better than that from the surface supply. Groundwater currently accounts for 60% of Batavia's total water supply. 62 ------- FIGURE 4B BATAVIA AREA Population and groundwater use Population and Pumpage From Batavia Area, 1980 Average Population' Pumpage Source Served (Mgal/d) A. MUNICIPAL COMMUNITY WATER SYSTEMS 1. City of Batavia 216,703 1.40 2. Oaks Subdivision 70 0.01 B. PRIVATE WATER SUPPLIES "5,000 0.50 Total 21,773 1.91 1 Data from New York State Dept. of Health, 1982 2 Water is derived partly from surface supply (40%) * Estimated 63 ------- 4 BATAVIA AREA C. Geologic setting The valley contains thick accumulations of sand and gravel The thickest accumulations of sand and gravel lie directly over the preglacial Tonawanda Creek valley, and provide the most productive groundwater supply in the area. The valley containing this aquifer lies in the northernmost part of the Allegheny Escarpment, adjacent to the Lake Ontario Plain (to the north). During preglacial time, the Tonawanda Creek flowed northward to Batavia, then turned northeastward to the Lake Ontario Basin. The combined effects of glacial erosion, and deposition of moraines shifted drainage northwestward from Batavia, toward the Niagara River. During deglaciation, the shallow Tonawanda Creek valley became completely buried by unconsolidated glacial deposits. As a result, the thickest accumulations of sand and gravel now lie directly over the preglacial Tonawanda Creek valley, and provide the most productive groundwater supply in the area. Sand and gravel accumulations within the valley, deposited adjacent to the retreating ice mass, form low hills and are classified as ice-contact deposits in figure 4C. These deposits are typically poorly sorted, and often display steeply dipping stratification. Sand and gravel deposited some distance from the ice margin are classified as outwash deposits, and form low, planar surfaces in the valley (fig. 4C). These are typically well sorted deposits with horizontal stratification. Fine grained silt and clay was deposited in parts of the valley in temporary lakes associated with glaciation. These lake sediments usually impede the movement of groundwater. Alluvium deposited adjacent to modern streams is typically fine grained, and is considered to be in hydraulic contact with the aquifer materials. 64 ------- FIGURE 4C BATAVIA AREA Geologic setting 65 ------- 4 BATAVIA AREA D. Geohydrology The aquifer consists of outwash and ice-contact sand and gravel. Very productive wells have been developed in the northern part of the aquifer. The buried bedrock valley contains extensive deposits of sand and gravel. These are thickest over the center of the preglacial valley, and in the ice-contact deposits south of Batavia. The generalized geologic sections in figure 4D indicate the relative thicknesses of these deposits. In the northern part of the aquifer, flat, well sorted outwash deposits predominate. The aquifer here is under water-table conditions, and the high permeability and great thickness of the sediments are favorable to the development of highly productive wells. The City of Batavia has developed very productive wells in this part of the aquifer. In the southeastern part of the aquifer, the thick, poorly-sorted, ice-contact deposits form great thicknesses of unconsolidated sediment. The aquifer is under water-table conditions, but is discontinuous and of low permeability, thus does not support high yielding wells. The southwestern part of the area contains an abundance of lake silt and clay deposits. These impede the movement of groundwater, and well yields are very low. 66 ------- FIGURE 4D BATAVIA AREA Geohydrology CD r cnj r 2 925- Q > O z HI > O CD < B' 900- LLI Q D \,- \V'\ »( ^^ > "1 X'\ o z UJ > o CD < Hi a => 955-, 930- 905- oOO'C* " v-^Oa' 880- 855- 8.10 J n'/nVv-: Outwash and alluvial sand and gravel Ice-contact sand and gravel Lake silt and clay Till jrrrTTZ K / - N / -\ / - Peat Bedrock Saturated aquifer material Water table Locations of sections shown on figure 4 E 0 1 2 i 3 _i_ 4 i 5 _i Feet x 1000 Vertical exaggeration: X40 Modified from Paoano and Terrv. 1984 67 ------- 4 BATAVIA AREA E. Aquifer thickness Saturated thickness of unconsolidated sediments is 60 feet in places Aquifer thickness is greatest in ice-contact deposits, and over the preglacial bedrock valley. Saturated thickness of the unconsolidated deposits in the Batavia Area is shown in figure 4E. The saturated thickness generally ranges from 10-60 feet, but exceeds 60 feet about four miles south of the City of Batavia. The values shown represent the estimated thickness of saturated sediment from the water table to bedrock or till. In some areas, fine-grained lake sediments overlie the aquifer. Aquifer thickness is greatest where the sediments overlie the preglacial bedrock valley of the Tonawanda Creek, and where ice-contact sand and gravel deposits are dominant. 68 ------- FIGURE 4E BATAVIA AREA Aquifer thickness - 43°02'30" - 43°00' 78° 17'30" t t o o Q o o 0 «o o o 78° 15' EXPLANATION Thickness of aquifer material, in feet Oto 20 20 to 40 40 to 60 more than 60 Aquifer boundary Extent of mapped area Direction of flow ŠA' Line of section (see figure 4D) 78°12'30" 78°10' - 45°52'30' MILES WYOMING CO _i_ -L. Base from Engineering Enterprises Modified from Terry and Pagano, 1984 69 ------- 4 BATAVIA AREA F. Groundwater movement Groundwater moves toward the Tonawanda Creek, and parallels the surface topography Near Batavia groundwater follows a preglacial valley to the northeast. The map in figure 4F shows the average altitude of the water table within this aquifer. Groundwater moves from areas of recharge toward the Tonawanda Creek. Groundwater movement conforms generally to the land surface, except near Batavia, where it follows the buried valley of the preglacial Tonawanda Creek, to the northeast. Recharge to the aquifer occurs from precipitation directly on the valley floor, from stream infiltration where streams enter the main valley, as underflow from the aquifers to the south, and from the bedrock. Wells drilled near the Tonawanda Creek may induce recharge from the creek. Total recharge to this aquifer is estimated to be about 66 Mgal/d. Discharge occurs primarily as seepage to streams, underflow through the buried valley to the northeast, and as pumpage from wells. Some seasonal fluctuation of the water table is expected due to higher recharge during the spring, and lower recharge during the late summer and autumn. 70 ------- FIGURE 4F BATAVIA AREA Ground-water movement 1 78° 17'30" 1 78°15' - 43°02'30" 1 78°12'30" 1 78°10' EXPLANATION 900-^- Water-table contour. Interval 20 feet. Datum is sea level (NGVD of 1929). Arrow shows direction of groundwater flow Aquifer boundary GENESEE CO - 43°00' - 45°52'30" -42»55' 42° I h57' 30" Extent of mapped area f Direction of flow Major outflow from aquifer Major inflow to aquifer / 1 Location of selected community and industrial water system wells or well fields (Number corresponds to wells listed in figure 4B) BATAVIA o 00 CO 2 f A 900. :& .<3! "880" r«o 0 V CO 1 c-C o N [Alexander 0 L. ?> MILES jTl 1ENESEE CO WYOMING CO Base from Engineering Enterprises Modified from Terry and Pagano, 1984 71 ------- BATAVIA AREA G. Well yields Well yields over 1,000 gallons per minute are available near Batavia Highest yields are available where there are thick deposits of highly permeable sediment. Accurate well-yield prediction is difficult in this aquifer because of the inhomogeneity of the sediments. Well yields presented on map (fig. 4G) are estimates based upon yields obtainable from similar aquifers in the Susquehanna River basin in New York (Hollyday, 1969). The highest well yields are available near Batavia, where the saturated thickness of highly permeable sediments exceeds 40 feet. Well yields are lower where the saturated sediments are thinner or of lower permeability. South of Batavia, well yields in ice-contact deposits (fig. 4C) are lower due to the relatively low permeability of the sediment. Lake deposits (fig. 4C) produce very low well yields, due to their extremely low permeability. Sand and gravel deposits beneath the lake sediments offer higher yielding wells. 72 ------- FIGURE 4G BATAVIA AREA Well yields 73 ------- 4 BATAVIA AREA H. Soil-zone permeability Soils overlying most of this aquifer have moderate to high permeability The soil-zone permeability varies considerably over the valley floor. Areas of greatest permeability are coincident with the most favorable aquifer areas. The map of soil-zone permeability (fig. 4H) shows the rate at which water moves through the soil zone to recharge the aquifer. This map is based upon soils maps of Genesee County, which were used to estimate the permeability of the B soil horizon (Wulforst and others, 1969). Soils of low permeability are generally those derived from till, lake sediments, and fine grained alluvium on floodplains. These soils produce high amounts of runoff, which flows into adjacent streams, or into more permeable valley floor sediments. Soils of high permeability are those derived from glacial outwash and ice-contact sediments, and permit rapid recharge of the underlying aquifer. Soil zone permeability may be used to estimate the rate at which dissolved or suspended pollutants could migrate into the underlying aquifer. Estimates of this permeability can guide planners in determining the suitability of specific sites for various types of development. 74 ------- FIGURE 4H BATAVIA AREA Soil-zone permeability Base from Engineering Enterprises Modified from Terry and Pagano, 1984 Very low I 1 1 r 78°17'30" 78° 15' 78°12'30" 78°10' EXPLANATION - 43°02'30" Infiltration classification GENESEE CO - 45°52'30" -42°55' MILES v BATAVIA - 43°00' Moderate Moderate to high Too variable to estimate Aquifer boundary Extent of mapped area Direction of flow 75 ------- 4 BATAVIA AREA I. Land use Except for Batavia, the area is suburban and rural The area over this aquifer is primarily agricultural. The Batavia water- supply wells are in an urban-industrial area. The City of Batavia occupies the northernmost part of the aquifer area (fig. 41) and obtains its water supply from the Tonawanda Creek and from several wells within city limits. Rural parts of the area are primarily agricultural and wetlands. Sand and gravel mining operations are scattered along the eastern part of the valley. The Batavia water supply wells are located near industrial and transportation facilities, and are adjacent to a large sand and gravel pit (fig. 41). Contaminants from these sources could move easily through the highly permeable soil to the shallow aquifer near this well field. 76 ------- FIGURE 41 BATAVIA AREA Land use 77 ------- 4 BATAVIA AREA J. Present and potential problems Batavia's groundwater supply can easily supply projected demands Aquifer yields ample water but highly permeable sediments above the aquifer in Batavia allow rapid transport of contaminants to the aquifer. Although the City of Batavaia has been increasing its dependence on groundwater over the past 20 years, current population trends indicate that the aquifer will easily meet the projected demand. While the availability of groundwater is sufficient, the threat of contamination is an ever-present problem, because wells supplying the Batavia water system are located adjacent to areas of heavy industrial development. The highly permeable outwash deposits in Batavia can allow rapid transport of dissolved and suspended pollutants to the aquifer. Contamination has not been observed in the city water system, but recent threats to the groundwater supply include an industrial chromium spill and leachate migration from an abandoned landfill. The migration of these contaminants has been away from the city well fields. Future wells should be located further from potential contaminant sources. 78 ------- 4 BATAVIA AREA K. Selected references Caulkin, P.E., 1966, Late Pleistocene history of northwestern New York: Guidebook, 38th annual meeting New York State Geological Association, p. 58-68. Hollyday, E.F, 1969, An appraisal of the ground- water resources of the Susquehanna River basin in New York State: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report, 52 p. LaSala, A.M., Jr., 1968, Ground-water resources of the Erie-Niagara basin, New York: New York State Conservation Department Basin Planning Report ENB-3, 114 p. Muller, E.H., 1975, Quaternary geology of New York, Niagara sheet: New York State Museum and Science Service map and chart series #28, 1:250,000 scale. New York State Department of Health, 1982, New York State atlas of community water system sources, Bureau of Public Water Supply Protection, 79 p. Teetor-Dobbins Consulting Engineers, 1970, Genesee County comprehensive water supply study: New York State Department of Health Comprehensive Water Supply Study CPWS-37, 11 chap. Terry, D.B., Pagano, T.S., and Ingram, A.W., 1984, Geohydrology of the glacial-out wash aquifer in the Batavia area, Tonawanda Creek, Genesee County, New York: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report (in publication), 7 sheets, 1:24,000 scale. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1981, Interim report on feasibility of flood management in Tonawanda Creek watershed: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo, N.Y. U.S. Geological Survey, 1980, Chemical quality of water from community systems in New York, November 1970 to May 1975: U.S. Geological Survey Water Resource Investigations 80-77,444 P- Waller, R.M., and Finch, A.J., 1982, Atlas of eleven selected aquifers in New York: U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Investigations Open-File Report 82-553, 255 p. Wulforst, J.P., Wertz, W.A., and Leonard, R.P., 1969, Soil survey of Genesee County, New York: U.S. Soil Conservation Service, 120 p. 79 ------- 80 ------- 5 BALDWINSVILLE AREA By Timothy S. Pagano A. Location and major geographic features B. Population and groundwater use C. Geologic setting D. Geohydrology E. Aquifer thickness F. Groundwater movement G. Well yields H. Soil-zone permeability I. Land use J. Present and potential problems K. Selected references 81 ------- 5 BALDWINSVILLE AREA A. Location and major geographic features This aquifer occupies a section of Onondaga County, northwest of the City of Syracuse Parts of the Seneca River, Erie-Barge Canal, and old Erie Canal, and Onondaga Lake occur within the boundary of this aquifer. The Village of Baldwinsville lies approximately in the center of the area studied. The Baldwinsville area is in the northwestern corner of Onondaga County. The westernmost boundary is along Cross Lake on the Onondaga-Cayuga County border. Parts of this aquifer follow the Seneca River to Onondaga Lake, then north to the convergence with the Oswego River. Another part of the aquifer follows the path of the old Erie Canal to Onondaga Lake, with two "arms" extending southward toward the Villages of Elbridge and Marcellus Falls. An isolated aquifer occurs between these two aquifer areas in an area known as the Kingdom. This aquifer covers approximately 55 square miles. The Village of Baldwinsville is the largest community and lies completely within the borders of the aquifer. Several other small communities also occur within the borders of the aquifer. 82 ------- PAGE NOT AVAILABLE DIGITALLY ------- 5 BALDWINSVILLE AREA B. Population and groundwater use This aquifer provides groundwater to about 22,000 people About 22,000 people are served by groundwater from this aquifer. The Village of Baldwinsville and towns of Van Buren and Lysander account for most of the use. The population served in the Baldwinsville area aquifer is about 22,000. Municipalities served are the Village of Baldwinsville and Towns of Lysander and Van Buren. The 1.50 Mgal/d pumpage of the Village of Baldwinsville also supplies these two towns. Most of the rural population depends on private supplies of groundwater. Practically all water used by industry in this area is obtained from surface-water sources. Very limited information was available on the minor industrial consumption of groundwater in this area. 84 ------- FIGURE 5B BALDWINSVILLE AREA Population and groundwater use POPULATION AND PlIMPAGE FROM BALDWINSVILLE AREA, 1984 Average Population Pumpage Source Served (Mgal/d) A. MUNICIPAL COMMUNITY WATER SYSTEMS 1. Village of Baldwinsville '6,500 21.500 Lysander Water District '4,000 - Van Buren Water District '8,000 -- Subtotal 18,500 1.500 B. OTHER COMMUNITY WATER SYSTEMS Trailer Parks (6) 3 786 Š~0.079 C. PRIVATE WATER SUPPLIES Home use of 100 gallons per day per capita is assumed 3,000 *0.30 Total 22,286 1.879 1 Unpublished data from Onondaga County Health Department, 1984 2 Unpublished data from Baldwinsville Water Department, 1984 3 Data from New York State Department of Health (1982) * Estimated 85 ------- 5 BALDWINSVILLE AREA C. Geologic setting The deglaciation of this area has resulted in a complex geologic setting This area occurs within two physiographic provinces: the Ontario Lowlands and the Appalachian Plateaus. A variety ofglacial and post-glacial sediments have been deposited in these areas. Most of this area lies within the Ontario Lowlands. Portions of the Appalachian Plateaus and Escarpment are found along the southern edge of this map. At the Appalachian Escarpment, the border between the Ontario Lowlands and Appalachian Plateaus, the land rises several hundred feet within a few miles. The thickness of till is not much more than five feet in the part of the plateau in this area. The lowlands are covered by thicker till that averages about 30 feet in thickness, commonly occuring as elongate, rounded, somewhat oval shaped hills called drumlins. Due to blockage caused by glacial ice, meltwater drainage, for a period of time, was to the east. The large quantities of meltwater issuing forth from the glacier eroded channels in the bedrock. The valley aquifers that extend from Jacks Reef, just east of Jordan, to Onondaga Lake, and the connecting sections that extend to Elbridge and Marcellus Falls, contain permeable sediments deposited in meltwater channels. Meltwater also deposited sediment over other parts of this area as the glacier receded. Outwash sand and gravel was deposited over much of the low lying land. Where the glacier terminus was stationary, moderately to well-sorted ice-contact stratified sand and gravel was deposited. The large quantity of sand and gravel deposits near the Kingdom and near Jacks Reef are believed to be of ice-contact origin. As the ice further receded, but continued to block northward drainage, a postglacial lake existed in this area. This lake, called Lake Iroquois, deposited silt and clay over much of the previously deposited sediments. The lake drained away when the northern drainage was uncovered by the glacier, but its deposits can be found up to the lake's maximum altitude between 400 and 450 feet above NGVD. Besides silt and clay, these lake deposits consist of delta sand and gravel from streams entering the lake, and beach sand and gravel at various shoreline positions. 86 ------- PAGE NOT AVAILABLE DIGITALLY ------- 5 BALDWINSVILLE AREA D. Geohydrology Permeable sediments derived from a variety of glacial and lacustrine sources form the aquifer material in this area Thick deposits of sand and gravel occur along the Seneca River, in some parts of other stream valleys and in the meltwater channels. Infiltration from streams to the aquifer can occur under pumping conditions. Large amounts of outwash sand and gravel were deposited in low lying areas and in the meltwater channels (see geologic sections A-A', B-B', C-C', and D-D', fig. 5D). These deposits are saturated and supply high groundwater yields to wells. Where ice-contact stratified sand and gravel is thick, such as the Kingdom area, substantial amounts of water can be obtained. However, most ice-contact deposits in this area occur above the water table, and act as pathways for recharge to the aquifer. Beach sand and gravel occur in thin, somewhat continuous strips, primarily serving as a recharge area to permeable sediments below. Locally, thick deposits form aquifers. Fairly large deposits of delta sand and gravel are found along the Seneca River. These sediments, which consist mostly of coarse sand, are very good aquifer materials. In some places, fine sand deposited in glacial lakes (see geologic section D-DO is a water- bearing sediment. Most lake sediments, however, consist of relatively impermeable silt and clay that is found at the surface or between layers of permeable sediments. It has been observed that the aquifer along the Seneca River and other streams is in hydrologic contact with the streams. This means that if the groundwater level drops below the level of the river or stream, by high rates of groundwater pumpage for example, water will infiltrate from the stream to the aquifer. 88 ------- FIGURE 5D BALDWINSVILLE AREA Geohydrology u 350- § m ;eSj^ fc- ^ ** 5Z'Z-;>^%: £vM H* > 300 i-" 1 - / ' 1 C'' t'-' \ .'' V" V "V -*v/ -s Av/ n/N n n v ) \ N v \ \\ v\'/v'/\'/ < < 350- ^^/V>7>x. ... .. / -^ / /-[ JG0&XZ&&.. - ...^-/' ~ V-\/-V-v/--.,v-^/ 'y' X '^\ '/v '/s s '/ *'**, ~.V V-"-/-V-V EXPLANATION Outwash and alluvial sand and gravel 500 n m 400- LZ) Lake sand and silt Lake silt and clay Till Bedrock Saturated aquifer material Water table 0 2 4 1 I i FEET (X1000) Vertical exaggeration: x 20 Locations of sections shown on figure 5 E Modified from Pagano and Terry, 1SB4 89 ------- 5 BALDWINSVILLE AREA E. Aquifer thickness The saturated thickness of aquifer materials reaches 100 feet south of Beaver Lake Little information is available on the saturated thickness of the aquifer in this area. Only in scattered parts of this area has enough data been collected to obtain an accurate picture of the saturated thickness of this aquifer. Additional investigation and data gathering is needed. The aquifer-thickness map shown here (figure 5E) shows the total thickness of saturated permeable sediments. When relatively impermeable sediments were present in between, their thicknesses were subtracted to obtain only the thickness of permeable sediments. The areas where data are available show great variety in the types and thickness of aquifer materials. Generally, the thickest water-bearing deposits occur in places along the Seneca River and in the meltwater channels. Again, data are needed from the areas of insufficient information to get a clear picture of the saturated thickness of this aquifer. 90 ------- PAGE NOT AVAILABLE DIGITALLY ------- 5 BALDWINSVILLE AREA F. Groundwater movement Groundwater flows downgradient toward the streams and other bodies of water The groundwater gradient is very flat in most of the area. Movement is slow and discharge is into streams, canals. Jakes, and swamps. Water flows to this aquifer from the uplands by both surface runoff and groundwater flow. Direct rainfall and streambank storage during high streamflow can also recharge the aquifer. When the water level of the aquifer gets below the level of a stream, water can infiltrate from the stream into the aquifer. The contours on figure 5F represent the average water-table altitude, in feet above sea level. Groundwater divides occur near Warners and southeast of Three Rivers. Groundwater leaves the aquifer mainly by discharge into the streams and lakes in this area. 92 ------- PAGE NOT AVAILABLE DIGITALLY ------- 5 BALDWINSVILLE AREA G. Well yields In some areas, well yields of several hundred gallons per minute can be obtained The most productive water-bearing sediments are usually found beneath less permeable sediments. These less permeable sediments may also be water bearing, but provide lower yields. Figure 5G shows potential well yields from only the most productive water-bearing sediments in this aquifer. It is based on hydrologic data from Kantrowitz (1970) who used the saturated thickness to estimate the permeability of the most productive water-bearing sediments. Throughout most of this area the most productive water-bearing sediments are found beneath less permeable sediments. These less permeable sediments may be relatively impermeable layers of lake clays and silts. However, the less permeable sediments may contain a less productive water-bearing layer of sand from which water may also be obtained. Less productive layers of sand, or sand and gravel may also be found below the most productive aquifer. Very little additional data are available on the well yields in this area. 94 ------- PAGE NOT AVAILABLE DIGITALLY ------- 5 BALDWINSVILLE AREA H. Soil-zone permeability Much of the aquifer is overlain by low permeability soils This aquifer is overlain by a complex arrangement of soils. The water- infiltration potential varies considerably over the aerial extent of the aquifer. Figure 5H is based on data from the soil survey of Onondaga County (Hutton and Rice, 1977). A varied group of soils have formed from the many glacial and post-glacial deposits. Areas of thick till formed soils with moderate infiltration, while areas of thin till formed soils of low permeability. Permeable sediments like outwash, delta, beach, and ice-contact sand and gravels have soils with a high water-infiltration potential. However, the late-glacial formation of Lake Iroquois covered many of these permeable materials with silt and clay, which form low-permeability soils. Present day streams have also deposited fine-grained alluvium on the aquifer surface. These deposits also form soils of low permeability. Caution must be exercised though, because these low permeability soils and sediments are relatively thin and they can easily be penetrated exposing the aquifer below to contamination. 96 ------- PAGE NOT AVAILABLE DIGITALLY ------- 5 BALDWINSVILLE AREA I. Land use This area is a mix of rural, suburban, and urban Most of this area is rural, with villages and hamlets scattered throughout. The easternmost part is occupied by part of the City of Syracuse and some of its suburbs. Most of the rural areas are dominated by farmland and forest. There are many small villages and hamlets in this area. The Village of Baldwinsville wells are in the village and near the Seneca River, south of Beaver Lake, in residential or rural areas. The New York State thruway runs through the east-west trending meltwater channel for a distance, then swings northward around Onondaga Lake (unit 4 on fig. 51). The City of Syracuse occupies a portion of the aquifer on the southern part of Onondaga Lake, with surburban areas extending out to the west and north. These areas contain a high density of residential, commercial, and industrial uses. 98 ------- PAGE NOT AVAILABLE DIGITALLY ------- 5 BALDWINSVILLE AREA J. Present and potential problems Saline groundwater occurs in areas of the bedrock and unconsolidated deposits Besides salinity, hardness is also sometimes a problem with groundwater supplies in this area. Regardless, community groundwater supplies are currently adequate in quality and quantity. Saline groundwater has been found in the bedrock and unconsolidated deposits in this area. Figure 5J is based on Kantrowitz (1970) and shows where saline groundwater occurs in the bedrock and unconsolidated deposits. In the unconsolidated deposits that yield salty groundwater, a freshwater zone of 10 to more than 100 feet thick occurs above. Hardness has also been a problem with some of the groundwater supplies. The Village of Baldwinsville has treated its groundwater supply for hardness in the past, but, due to limited success, does not at present. During the early and middle I970's elevated levels of lead were found in the Seneca River. With concern that groundwater sources might be contaminated by infiltration, both surface water and groundwater were closely monitored. No serious contamination of the groundwater was detected but the upstream source of the contamination was not found. A landfill site is present west of the southern part of Onondaga Lake that is currently leaking trichlorobenzenes and benzenes into the aquifer. This site is currently under study by private industry and public agencies. Several other landfill sites are present in the area around Onondaga Lake (see fig. 5C) and may cause future problems. 100 ------- PAGE NOT AVAILABLE DIGITALLY ------- 5 BALDWINSVILLE AREA K. Selected References Asseltine, E.S., and Grossman, I.G., 1956, Saline waters in New York State, upstate New York: State of New York Water Power and Control Commission Bulletin 36. Chute, N.E., 1979, Glacial Lake Iroquois in central New York: Northeastern Geology, vol. 1, no. 1, p. 69-105. Central New York Planning and Development Board, 1978, Final Onondaga County subplan: Central New York Water Quality Management Program. , 1979, Final executive summary: Central New York Water Quality Management Program, 101 P- Hutton, F.Z., Jr., and Rice, C.E., 1977, Soil survey of Onondaga County, New York: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 235 p. Kantrowitz, I.H., 1964, Groundwater resources of the Syracuse area: New York State Geological Association Guidebook, 36th annual meeting, p. 35-38. , 1979, Groundwater resources in the eastern Oswego River basin, New York: New York State Water Resources Commission Basin Planning ORB-2, 129 p. Muller, E.H., 1964, Surficial geology of the Syracuse field area: New York State Geological Association Guidebook, 36th annual meeting, p. 25-30. New York State Department of Health, 1981, Report on groundwater dependence in New York State: Bureau of Public Water Supply, 49 P- 1982, New York State atlas of community water system sources: Bureau of Public Water Supply Protection, 79 p. New York State Department of Public Works, 1906, Plans for Barge Canal contract 12, Oneida Lake to Mosquito Point, 88 p. O'Brien and Gere, 1968, Onondaga County public water supply study, CPWS-21: report. , 1968, Onondaga County public water supply study, CPWS-21: appendices. Pagano, T.S., Terry, D.B., and Ingram, A.W., 1984, Geohydrology of the glacial outwash aquifers in the Baldwinsville area, Seneca River, Onondaga County, New York: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report (in publication) 7 sheets, 1:24,000 scale. U.S. Geological Survey, 1980, Chemical quality of water from community systems in New York, November 1970 to May 1975: U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Investigations 80-77, 444 p. Waller, R.M., and Finch, A.J., 1982, Atlas of eleven selected aquifers in New York: U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Investigations Open-File Report 82-553, 255 p. Weist, W.G., Jr., and Giese, G.L., 1969, Water resources of the central New York region: New York Conservation Department of Water Resources Commission Bulletin 64, 58 p. 102 ------- |