Ohio State University Extension

Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering

590 Woody Hayes Dr., Columbus, Ohio 43210

Water Resources of Fairfield County

AEX-480.23

S. Chris Anderson
Karen T. Ricker
Larry C. Brown

Water is a resource often taken for granted. In recent years, water availability and quality have become important public concerns in Fairfield County. The county's population of 109,318 (1992 Ohio Department of Development estimate) is rural with increasing urban influence, and nearly 100 percent of all households rely on ground water for their water supply. This fact sheet provides a brief overview of Fairfield County's water resources, and is intended to help increase public awareness and understanding of this vital resource. By understanding where water is obtained and how it is used in the county, residents can gain a better appreciation for their water supply. Water resources terminology used in this publication is included in Surface and Ground Water Terminology, Fact Sheet AEX 460, which provides a listing of generally accepted water resource definitions. Ohio State University Extension publications are available through all Ohio county Extension offices.

Precipitation

An average of approximately 36 inches of precipitation falls on Fairfield County annually. Figure 1 illustrates the average monthly precipitation for the county for the period 1961 to 1990. Based on this 30-year record, the average precipitation is 3.0 inches per month, with January and February (2.1 inches each) typically being the driest months, and May and July (4.0 inches each) the wettest. However, there can be extreme variations in some years and in certain months within a year. Such seasonal and yearly extremes may have serious consequences and are not apparent from the long-term precipitation information.

Figure 1. Average monthly precipitation (in inches) in Fairfield County, Ohio (1961-1990); data collected at Lancaster.

In contrast, the average precipitation in Fairfield County from 1895 to 1955 was approximately 41 inches. This significant change (5 inches in about 60 years) seems to be a localized phenomenon. The average decline in precipitation across central Ohio appears to be less than 2 inches for the same time period.

Surface-Water Resources

Fairfield County's major drainage basins are the Hocking River and Walnut Creek. The Hocking River originates in west central Fairfield County and continues southeast to its mouth at the Ohio River. Rush Creek and Clear Creek are two of the Hocking's major tributaries that are located in the county. Walnut Creek originates just outside the northeast corner of Fairfield County and continues west and south to its mouth at the Scioto River. Other streams located in the county that are outside the Hocking River and Walnut Creek basins are Salt Creek and the Licking River. A generalized surface-water map of Fairfield County is given in Figure 2.

Surface waters are affected by soil type, geology, the topography of adjacent land, and the way people use the land. Land use, such as residential development and agricultural production, may increase the amount of sediment and other pollutants entering a body of water. The soil and terrain also influence the amount of runoff because of infiltration, percolation, and water holding characteristics. With some soils, rainfall is more likely to run off, while other soils allow water to infiltrate more readily.

The county contains approximately 323,654 land acres, of which approximately 67 percent is farmland. Sixty-two different soil types have been identified in the county and vary in drainage quality from well drained to very poorly drained. Forty percent are well drained soils, 40 percent are moderately well drained, and 20 percent are poorly drained. The poorly drained soils limit agricultural, residential and industrial land uses.

The county water acreage consists of about 2,076 acres of lakes, including the 1,563 acres of Buckeye Lake within the county. Other water acreage includes five public lakes, 33 private lakes and ponds that range from 5 to 153 acres in size, and numerous smaller ponds. The county contains approximately 263 linear miles of major streams and rivers [estimated from river basin maps, Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Water]. In addition, miles of county-maintained ditches and privately-maintained ditches are used for land drainage.

Figure 2. Surface-water resources in Fairfield County, Ohio (adapted from ODNR Division of Water river basin maps; illustration prepared by K. A. Weber).

Ground-Water Resources

Fairfield County's most productive ground-water source is the unconsolidated sand and gravel aquifer underlying most of the Hocking River floodplain and terraces. Unconsolidated aquifers are layers of coarse to fine grained sand, gravel, and silt. Currently, the City of Lancaster operates 14 wells located in this unconsolidated aquifer. Yields of 200 to 800 gallons per minute (gpm) are attainable and these wells range in depth from 98 to 105 feet, collectively producing more than 5 million gallons of water per day.

A second unconsolidated sand and gravel source exists in an ancestral drainage channel of glacial origin extending from Buckeye Lake to Baltimore and west to Canal Winchester. This aquifer is capable of producing yields of 500 gpm from properly located and developed wells. Other than these very productive aquifers, the vast majority of the material underlying Fairfield County consists of less permeable material such as sandstone, shale and clay which often limit well yields to 25 gpm or less. Yields of less than 5 gpm are found in the shale bedrock areas along the eastern and western edges of the county. Drilling into shale bedrock may produce salt water, or dry holes, in parts of Richland and Rush Creek townships. Ground water supplies developed from bedrock or glacial deposits have a high natural mineral content resulting in hard water; this water usually requires treatment for domestic use. Varying amounts of iron are found, and objectionable amounts of hydrogen sulfide generally increase with the depth drilled. An overview of the ground-water resources in the county is given in Fairfield County Ground-Water Resources, AEX-490.23.

The yield of a well will vary considerably depending on the age and depth of the well, well construction, the diameter of the casing, pump capacity and age, and more importantly, properties of the geologic formation. Specific information on ground-water availability and wells can be obtained by contacting the ODNR Division of Water.

Where Does the Water Go?

Based on long-term statewide weather records, Ohio receives an average of 38 inches of precipitation per year. These 38 inches move through a complex path called the hydrologic cycle. Of these 38 inches, about 10 inches (26 percent) become runoff, which moves immediately to surface-water bodies such as streams and lakes. Two inches are retained at the ground surface and evaporate back into the atmosphere in a relatively short period of time. Twenty-six of the 38 total inches enter the soil surface through infiltration. Twenty of these 26 inches go into soil storage and later are returned to the atmosphere by the combination of evaporation and transpiration (evapotranspiration). The remaining 6 inches of precipitation (16 percent of the total) have the potential to recharge the ground-water supply. 2 of these 6 inches eventually move to springs, lakes, or streams as ground-water discharge. The remaining 4 inches either return to the atmosphere by evapotranspiration or are withdrawn to supply water needs. For more information, please refer to Ohio's Hydrologic Cycle, AEX 461.

Statewide averages applied to the county's average annual precipitation provide a rough estimate of how many inches will result in runoff and how many inches have the potential to reach aquifers. Based on statewide averages of runoff and ground-water recharge, Fairfield County's 36 inches of average annual precipitation result in about 9.4 inches of runoff to streams and lakes, and about 5.8 inches have the potential to recharge aquifers annually. Values for particular locations will differ according to local conditions.

Water Use

Water use for each of Fairfield County's public water supply systems is given in Table 1. For each water system, this table presents an estimate of the population served, water source, estimated daily usage and treatment plant capacity. The county's largest public water system is the City of Lancaster that uses 14 wells for its supply. Essentially all households in Fairfield County use ground water, not surface water, for their water needs.

Ground water is the only water source for rural households in Fairfield County. Approximately 43 percent of all households obtain their water from private wells. Based on an estimated usage of 75 gallons per person per day, 3,425,000 gallons per day (gpd) from private wells are used. In addition, 382,000 gpd are used for livestock. The remaining 57 percent of households use public water supplies, as identified in Table 1.

Some water users in Ohio must register their withdrawals with the ODNR Division of Water. Through the Water Withdrawal Facility Registration Program, owners of facilities capable of withdrawing 100,000 gpd (70 gpm) or more must register those facilities. Information collected through this program includes withdrawal capacity, ground- or surface-water sources, location and type of water use, and location of discharge points. The program is for registration only, and not for allocation or permission. Registered withdrawers file annual reports of their water use. This information helps planners at ODNR to determine the availability of water for projected needs and to better manage and protect Ohio's water resources. Documenting water use also provides official records for individual uses. For more information, contact the ODNR Division of Water.

Table 1. Water Use in Fairfield County, Ohio.1
Public Water System	Population Served	Primary Water Source	Water Usage (GPD)2	Treatment Plant Capacity (GPD)
Lancaster	35,342	Ground Water	5,740,000	9,300,000
Pickerington	6,694	Ground Water	528,000	500,000
Fairfield Co. Wtr Dist	5,755	Ground Water	904,000	2,160,000
Baltimore3	3,603	Ground Water	395,000	720,000
Millersport	2,571	Ground Water	207,000	338,000
Bremen	1,363	Ground Water	135,000	N/A4
Southeastern Correct.	1,910	Ground Water	304,000	535,000
Pleasantville	946	Ground Water	55,000	122,400
Amanda	807	Ground Water	90,000	80,000
Mingo Estates	768	Ground Water	75,000	N/A
Lithopolis	590	Ground Water	65,000	144,000
Carroll	584	Ground Water	50,000	175,000
Sugar Grove	498	Ground Water	35,656	100,000
Greenfield Wtr. Dist.	348	Ground Water	20,000	N/A
Other5	1,521	Ground Water	207,900	N/A
1 Estimates from Ohio EPA using adjusted 1994 data; information is based on data available at time of publication.
2 GPD = gallons per day.
3 Includes Thurston (population and water usage figures only).
4 N/A = not available; treatment plant capacity figure not available.
5 Other includes mobile home parks, nursing homes, and Melrose Development.

Water Quality

Human activities and natural processes affect the quality of our water supplies. Throughout Ohio, human activities contribute to both point and nonpoint source pollution. Point source pollution is the introduction of impurities into water (ground water or surface water) from an identifiable, known location. Examples of point sources can include industrial factories, power plants, commercial businesses, and wastewater treatment facilities.

Nonpoint source pollution also involves the introduction of impurities into a surface-water body or an aquifer, except the route is usually non-direct and the sources are diffuse in nature. A major portion of the sediment, nutrients, acids and salts, heavy metals, toxic chemicals, and pathogens enter the state's water resources through nonpoint source pollution, affecting both ground and surface water. Examples include automobile emissions, runoff from parking lots, and runoff and drainage from agricultural fields, feedlots, home lawns and gardens, residential development, construction, mining, and logging activities.

Natural processes such as precipitation also have an impact on surface water and, to a lesser extent, ground water. For example, rainfall that is acidic ("acid rain") may alter the quality of a stream, lake, or other water resource that receives the rainfall.

Ground Water

As water moves through the sandstone, shale, clay and unconsolidated sand and gravel deposits underlying Fairfield County, it dissolves the minerals contained in these formations and carries them in solution. Publication AEX-490.23 summarizes some of the county's natural ground-water quality aspects.

Human activities, such as agricultural production, domestic waste disposal, and lawn and turf care may have some influence on the county's ground-water quality. In a 1987 study by Heidelberg College, 510 wells in the county were sampled for nitrate-nitrogen content, an indicator of water quality. Results showed that 309 wells (60 percent of total) contained nitrate-nitrogen concentrations in the range of 0 to 0.3 parts-per-million (ppm). This range is assumed to represent natural background levels. 121 wells (24 percent) tested in the range of 0.3 to 3.0 ppm, values that may or may not indicate human influence. The 68 wells (13 percent) that tested in the range of 3.0 to 10 ppm may indicate elevated concentrations resulting from human activities. Only 12 wells (2 percent) tested at more than 10 ppm nitrate-nitrogen, which exceeds the safe drinking-water standard. The average nitrate-nitrogen concentration for the 510 wells tested was 1.51 ppm. The design, location, and condition of a well combined with the characteristics of the soils and geologic formations in which the well is constructed, influence the potential for pollutants to enter the well. The Fairfield County Department of Health provides bacteriological water sampling for local citizens, and results of these tests generally indicate acceptable drinking water in the county. A fee for the bacterial count test and other water quality indicator tests is charged by the Fairfield County Department of Health. For a complete list of available tests, contact the Fairfield County Health Department at 614-653-4489.

Surface Water

Runoff and sediment from residential development, construction sites and agricultural lands may enter the county's streams and lakes. Also, runoff may carry other pollutants, such as lawn and agricultural chemicals (pesticides and fertilizers), effluent from septic systems, oil and gas from spills, and industrial wastes.

Through the State of Ohio Nonpoint Source Assessment and the Water Resources Inventory, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) has identified 13,000 stream miles in Ohio that have been affected by nonpoint source (NPS) pollution. Based on the findings of the Assessment and Inventory, the Ohio Nonpoint Source Management Program has been implemented to help improve the quality of the state's waters.

Water quality monitoring indicates that all or parts of the following Fairfield County streams are affected by NPS pollution: Licking River, Hocking River, Clear Creek, Rush Creek, Amanda Creek, Blacklick Creek, and Pawpaw Creek. These streams are affected by one or more of the following NPS pollution categories: agriculture, crop production, mining, surface runoff, channelization, sanitary landfill, livestock, harvesting, streambank modification, and construction sites. Other county streams are affected by point source pollution (municipal and/or industrial wastewater). Point source affected streams include Baldwin Run, Georges Creek, Sycamore Creek, Walnut Creek, and Scippo Creek. Fairfield County also contains streams that have good water quality and are attaining chemical and biological water quality standards. Monitoring has shown that all or parts of the following streams have good water quality: Little Walnut Creek, Muddy Prairie Run, Turkey Run (Rush Creek township), Muddy Prairie Creek, and Hunters Run. For specific information about the streams listed in the Assessment and Inventory documents, and details about the Nonpoint Source Management Program contact the Ohio EPA Central District Office (3232 Alum Creek Dr., Columbus, OH 43207-3417). Information about nonpoint source pollution is also discussed in Nonpoint Source Pollution: Water Primer, AEX 465, available from your county Extension office.

It is important to note that as of June 1995 less than half of Ohio's streams have been evaluated by the Assessment. As water quality monitoring continues statewide, the list of Fairfield County affected streams and streams with good water quality will change. Residents have a major responsibility to protect Fairfield County's water resources from pollutants that could affect the quality of the water supply.

Summary

Water availability and quality are important public concerns. Water problems can be both costly and inconvenient. While the present availability of water is good for Fairfield County, water is a precious resource that must be conserved and protected. We must all work together to maintain an adequate supply of good quality water.

This fact sheet provided information about water resources in Fairfield County. For more information on water resources and drinking-water quality in the county, contact the Fairfield County office of Ohio State University Extension (831 College Ave., Suite D, Lancaster, OH 43130; 614-653-5419). In addition, the following agencies may be able to provide information on other water resources topics in the county: Fairfield Soil and Water Conservation District; Fairfield County Health Department; ODNR Division of Water (Fountain Square, Columbus, OH 43224); U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Ohio District (975 W. Third Ave., Columbus, OH 43212); Ohio EPA (P.O. Box 1049, Columbus, OH 43216-1049); and Ohio Department of Health (ODH; PO Box 118, Columbus, OH 43226).

Bibliography

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Doane's Agricultural Report. 1992. Farm Water Systems.

Effects on Ground Water Quality and Induces Infiltration of Wastes Disposed into the Hocking River at Lancaster (Fairfield County), Ohio. 1967. S.E. Norris. Ground Water Journal, vol. 5, no. 3., p. 15-19.

Estimated Water Use in Ohio, 1990, Public Supply Data. 1993. USGS. Open-File Report 93-72.

Fairfield County, Ohio Soil Survey. 1994. USDA-NRCS.

Fairfield County Ground-Water Resources. 1995. S. C. Anderson, J. M. Raab, L. C. Brown and K. T. Ricker. AEX-490.23. Ohio State University Extension.

Fairfield Soil and Water Conservation District, Natural Resources Inventory. 1992. USDA-NRCS.

Gazetteer of Ohio Streams. 1960. Ohio Water Inventory Report No. 12. ODNR Div. of Water.

Ground-Water Resources of Fairfield County. 1992. J. J. Schmidt. ODNR Div. of Water. (map).

Hydrologic Atlas for Ohio: Average Annual Precipitation, Temperature, Streamflow, and Water Loss for the 50-Year Period 1931-1980. 1991. L. J. Hartstine. Water Inventory Report No. 28. ODNR Div. of Water.

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Acknowledgments

This publication was produced through the Ohio Water Resources Education Project, in cooperation with: ODNR Division of Water; Ohio EPA; USGS, Ohio District; and ODH. Project leaders are Larry C. Brown and Karen T. Ricker. Partial financial support for this publication was provided by these cooperating agencies and programs: Fairfield County office of OSU Extension; Fairfield Soil and Water Conservation District; Fairfield County Regional Planning Commission; Overholt Drainage Education and Research Program; and the Ohio Management Systems Evaluation Area Project (USDA Extension Service Grant No. 90-EWQI-1-9018).

The project leaders express appreciation to the following reviewers: Bonnie Dailey and Fred Gurile (Fairfield Soil and Water Conservation District); Doug Zehner and Joe Steiger (USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Fairfield County); Rick Daniels (City of Lancaster, Water Plant); James M. Raab, David Cashell and Leonard Black (ODNR Division of Water); Scott Golden (Environmental Health, ODH); Steve Hindall (USGS, Ohio District); Anthony J. Kramer (USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, State Office, Columbus); Jay Fleming (Ohio EPA Division of Drinking and Ground Waters); and Larry Antosch, Rich McClay, and Mark Wilson (Ohio EPA Division of Surface Water).

A special thanks to Kim Wintringham, Associate Editor (Section of Communications and Technology, Ohio State University Extension), for editorial and graphic production.