Southwest Wisconsin groundwater and geology study (SWIGG)

June 05, 2019

by Linda Deith

Comments are off

Farmland and tree-covered rolling hills of the Driftless Area in southwest Wisconsin (photo by Eric Carson, WGNHS) Southwest Wisconsin has fractured bedrock beneath generally thin soils, putting groundwater at risk for contamination.

The purpose of this study is to improve our understanding of groundwater quality in southwest Wisconsin and to better understand how local hydrogeology and well construction characteristics affect groundwater quality.

Project objectives

Evaluate private well contamination using indicator bacteria (total coliform and E. coli) and nitrate;
Assess well construction and geological characteristics (e.g., well age, depth to bedrock) that affect total coliform and nitrate contamination; and
Identify the source of contamination (people, cows, or pigs) in a subset of wells that tested positive for total coliform and nitrate.

Resources for private well owners

Information for private well owners (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources)
Identify your water’s symptoms (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources)
Homeowner well water testing (University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point)
Well water quality viewer—interactive map (University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point)