Status of Groundwater Management in Baldwin County Alabama Water Resources Conference September 6, 2012 CAG Conrad A. Gazzier and Dale Hardin

Abstract Baldwin Co. is blessed with large quantities of high quality groundwater within the A 2 and A 3 aquifers. These coastal aquifers are used by public water supplies, farmers, and residents. The source of recharge for these aquifers lies outside the county, even outside the State of Alabama, and require regional and intrastate management. This presentation describes the efforts already underway by local water users to manage their common resource. In the absence of state-level water management, Gulf Shores Utilities and Riviera Utilities sponsored their own evaluations of the aquifer systems used for public supply. In 2009, Gulf Shores Utilities began construction of an observation/monitoring well network to continuously monitor potentiometric heads in the A 2 and A 3 aquifers. These wells, together with observation wells provided by Riviera Utilities, Orange Beach Utilities, Perdido Bay Water Authority, and private individuals were used to prepare the first detailed potentiometric maps of those aquifers in south Baldwin County. With time, the observation/monitoring wells have provided valuable information on the seasonal variation and impacts of withdrawals on these aquifers. Concurrent with the efforts of the Gulf Shores Utilities, Riviera Utilities sponsored an evaluation of the aquifer geometry that led to the further definition of the A 2 and A 3 aquifers and confirmed their fluvial origins. Many fluvial channels have been roughly identified and will be further defined in future studies such as a proposed area-wide seismic investigation. The saltwater/freshwater interfaces for these aquifers lie down gradient along the coast or in the Gulf of Mexico. Gulf Shores Utilities has spearheaded the effort to locate and monitor the saltwater/freshwater interface in their jurisdiction and has obtained preliminary results. These wells will be continuously observed and sampled for water quality annually. Concurrent with these independent investigations, Riviera Utilities and Gulf Shores Utilities initiated meetings among all the public water utilities to begin to coordinate and manage their common water supply. As a result, the Baldwin County Water Distributors Association, Inc. was established to coordinate the further evaluation of the groundwater resource and manage its use in the future for the combined benefit of all the utilities. This water management group meets quarterly to learn more about the resource from speakers and to discuss the mutual coordination of the use of the resource. Their intent is to bring the major agricultural water users into the organization this year. BCWDA have been visionary in their approach to managing our coastal aquifers and are actively expanding their knowledge through construction of additional observation and monitoring wells and promoting more detailed investigations of the aquifer. BCWDA anticipates that Montgomery’s latest water management initiative will provide recognition and support for an ongoing program that can evolve into a regional water management strategy for Alabama’s coastal aquifers and rivers.

CAG After : Gillett and others, 1994 Baldwin County Aquifers

CAG Orth test well west of Foley

Location of Cross-Sections CAG

Known and Prospective A 2 – A 3 Channel Sand Fairways

CAG Cross Section from Orth Test Well to GSU Office Monitoring Well Cluster

CAG Cross-Section GSU Tank to FBE Deep Monitor

CAG Cross Section from GSU Tank Observation Well to Office Monitor Well Cluster

CAG

Cross-Section GSU Tank to PB-3 (Ft. Morgan Peninsula to Lillian and Perdido Bay) CAG

 A2 Aquifer Definition (Upper/Lower/Terrace)  A3 Upper/Lower Aquifer Mapping and Recharge Area ID  Marine Aquifer Mapping and Recharge Area ID  Water Quality Issues o Aquifer Contamination (Nitrates) o NORM o Saltwater Intrusion Issues Requiring Further Study CAG

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