Description:

Analytical Services, Inc. (AS) can provide County-wide hydrogeologic assessment services. A recent project involved a County-wide evaluation of both groundwater availability and vulnerability. The project utilized an existing County well database of approximately 4000 geo-referenced well locations. Information from this database, such as total depth, depth to rock, and reported yield was then sorted and analyzed based on the actual geographic location of the individual wells.

A relative groundwater availability model was developed based on overburden thickness, well yield, and insitu soil “K” (saturated hydraulic conductivity) values. Findings from the study were utilized within the model to develop groundwater availability mapping on a county-wide scale. In addition, a county-wide sensitivity map was developed by identifying the locations of potential contaminant sources and public water supply sources. Locations of each of the potential contaminant sources and the public water supply sources were georeferenced and mapped with GIS ArcView software.

Upon completing the Groundwater Availability mapping and Groundwater Sensitivity mapping, Groundwater Assessment Standards were developed in draft form and presented to the County. The Groundwater Assessments Standards incorporated the findings of both the Availability mapping and the Sensitivity mapping, to outline various tier levels of required assessment. Each increasing tier level required a more stringent level of testing.

Michael Maloy, CPG, AS’s Senior Geologist, was Program Manager for the completion phase (Phase II) of the Albermarle County Hydrogeologic Assessment. Groundwater Assessment Standards were formulated from the draft submittal and were adopted and implemented by the County in February of 2005.