Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet

Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering

590 Woody Hayes Dr., Columbus, Ohio 43210

Williams County Water Resources

AEX-480.86

James J. Hoorman
Kristina M. Boone
Larry C. Brown

Water is a resource often taken for granted. In recent years, water availability and quality have become important public concerns in Williams County. The county's population of 36,956 (1990 census data) is predominantly rural, and almost all households rely on ground water for their water supply. By understanding where water is obtained and how it is used in the county, residents can gain a better appreciation for their water. Providing a brief overview of Williams County's water resources, this fact sheet is intended to help increase public awareness and understanding of water resources. 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 34.5 inches of precipitation falls on Williams 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 2.9 inches per month, with January (1.7 inches) typically being the driest month, and July (3.6 inches) the wettest. There can be, however, extreme variations in some years and in certain months within a year. Such seasonal and yearly extremes, which may have serious consequences, often are not apparent from the long-term precipitation information.

Figure 1. Average monthly precipitation (in inches) in Williams County, Ohio (1961-1990); Data collected at Montpelier.

Surface-Water Resources

Williams County has two major drainage basins: the St. Joseph River, and the Tiffin River. The St. Joseph River basin covers approximately 1,060 square miles, of which 22 percent is in Ohio, and drains the west side of the county. Beginning in Michigan, the St. Joseph River drains the west half of Williams County and the northwest portion of Defiance County before it enters the Maumee River at Fort Wayne, Indiana.

The Tiffin River basin covers approximately 805 square miles, of which 69 percent is in Ohio, and drains the east side of Williams County. The river begins in Michigan and flows south through Williams and Defiance counties where it enters the Maumee River. Eventually draining into Lake Erie, the Maumee River basin is approximately 6,608 square miles in size, of which 74 percent lies in Ohio. A generalized surface-water map of Williams County is given in Figure 2.

Larger streams that drain into the St. Joseph River basin include Bear Creek, Eagle Creek, Nettle Creek and the East and West Branch of the St. Joseph River. The major streams that drain into the Tiffin River basin include the Brush Creek, Owl Creek, Coon Creek, Beaver Creek, Leatherwood Creek, Flat Run, Bates Creek, Clear Creek and Mill Creek.

Surface waters are affected by the soil type and topography of the land adjacent to them, and the way humans use the land. Land use, such as residential development, construction, and agricultural production, can increase the amount of sediment entering a body of water. The type of soils in an area also influences surface water because of the soil's infiltration capacity. With some soils, rainfall is more likely to run off, while other soils allow water to infiltrate more readily.

The county contains approximately 269,312 land acres, of which 207,000 acres or 77 percent is farmland. About 49 different soil series are present within the county, the majority of which are loamy or poorly drained clays. The county water acreage consists of about 30 lakes and ponds (745.5 acres). These include Lake Seneca (240 acres), Nettle Lake (94 acres), Lake LaSuAn (75 acres) and Plover Lake (27 acres), which are used for recreation. Brown's Recreation Lake (39.6 acres) and the Boy Scouts of America Lakes (21.4 acres) are private lakes. The remaining acreage consists of gravel and borrow pits, reservoirs, swamps, and private ponds. The county contains approximately 378 linear miles of major streams and rivers (estimated from ODNR Div. of Water river basin maps). In addition, 227 miles of county maintained ditches and approximately 500 miles of private maintained ditches are used for land drainage. This availability lends itself to many uses by both communities and individuals.

Figure 2. Surface-water resources in Williams County, Ohio (adapted from ODNR Div. of Water river basin maps by R.A. Roberts)

Ground-Water Resources

There are three aquifer systems that underlie Williams County. These aquifers provide adequate water supplies for both individual wells and all the county villages. The major aquifer is an unconsolidated coarse-grained aquifer located in the northwest and central part of Williams County. This aquifer consists of highly permeable sand and gravel deposited by glaciers. The aquifer is very productive and locally is under artesian pressure. Yields of 100 to 500 gallons per minute (gpm) have been found at depths of 60 to 240 feet. Yields as high as 1,000 gpm are possible from properly constructed wells, which could be used for irrigation, as well as industrial and municipal purposes.

The eastern portion of Williams County has a fine-grained unconsolidated aquifer, which is very similar in form and origin to the coarse-grained aquifer but is less permeable because of its higher percentage of mixed-fine sands, silt, and clay. Yields of up to 500 gpm can be obtained from this aquifer. Wells that are not flowing usually have a depth to water of less than 10 feet. Heavy pumping for irrigation or other large uses will lower the water table in the immediate vicinity. This may reduce the artesian head on nearby flowing wells and cause them to stop flowing.

A carbonate aquifer of limestone and dolomite bedrock is located in the southeast corner of Williams County (Springfield Township). Limestone consists of calcium carbonate; dolomite is very similar but contains magnesium carbonate, as well as calcium carbonate. Yields of as much as 20 gpm have been developed at depths ranging from 45 to 90 feet. Yields of 50 gpm or more have been found at depths greater than 235 feet. Virtually all wells are drilled into the limestone, and yields generally are adequate for domestic and farm water supplies. An overview of the ground-water resources in the county is given in Williams County Ground-Water Resources, AEX-490.86.

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 Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Div. of Water.

Where Does the Water Go?

Based on long-term 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 like 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. Two 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 further reading, 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, Williams County's 34.5 inches of average annual precipitation result in about 9 inches of runoff to streams and lakes, and about 5.5 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 Williams 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 use and treatment plant capacity. The county's largest public-water system is Bryan, which uses ground water for its supply. The villages of Edgerton, Edon, Montpelier, Pioneer, Stryker and West Unity also use ground water for their water supply.

Ground water is the major water source for rural households in Williams County. Approximately 99 percent of all households obtain their water from private wells or public wells. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Div. of Water has a total of 2,872 known wells on record in Williams County. Fifty-one wells are used for municipal purposes and 2,680 are private wells. Based on an estimated usage of 75 gallons of water per person per day, 2.8 million gallons per day (gpd) from private wells is used.

Additional private water uses include industry (309,000 gpd) and golf course and crop irrigation (5,500 gpd), all from ground-water supplies. Golf course and crop irrigation also use an additional 52,000 gpd from surface water supplies.

Some water users in Ohio must register their withdrawals with the ODNR Div. of Water. Through the Water Withdrawal Facility Registration Program, owners of facilities that could withdraw 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 determine the availability of water for projected needs and better manage and protect Ohio's water resources. Documenting water use also provides official records for individual uses. For more information, contact ODNR, Div. of Water.

Table 1. Water Use in Williams County, Ohio.1
Public Water System	Population Served	Primary Water Source	Water Usage (GPD)2	Treatment Plant Capacity (GPD)
Bryan	8,700	Ground Water	2,000,000	5,184,000
Edgerton	1,875	Ground Water	150,000	504,000
Edon	890	Ground Water	100,000	254,000
Montpelier	4,300	Ground Water	527,000	1,238,000
Pioneer	1,133	Ground Water	219,000	288,000
Stryker	1,463	Ground Water	147,000	432,000
West Unity	1,750	Ground Water	215,000	499,000
Other3	1,522	Ground Water	165,300	475,800
1 Estimates from Ohio EPA using 1993 data, adjusted by Leonard Black, ODNR Div. of Water.
2 GPD = gallons per day.
3 Other - includes the Edgeview, Northland, Oakwood, Tree Meadows, Pleasant Valley and West Unity mobile home parks, Harris Trailer Court, Norlick Place Utilities, Seneca Utilities, Nu Vision Park, and Williams County Hillside Country Living.

Water Quality

Natural processes and human activities affect the quality of our water supplies. Throughout Ohio, human activities contribute to nonpoint source pollution, through which a major portion of the sediment, nutrients, acids and salts, heavy metals, toxic chemicals and pathogens enter the state's water resources. Nonpoint source pollution is the introduction of impurities into a surface-water body or an aquifer, usually through a non-direct route and from sources that are "diffuse" in nature. This type of pollution affects both ground and surface water. Examples include automobile emissions, runoff from parking lots, runoff and drainage from agricultural fields, feedlots, and home gardens, and runoff and drainage from construction, mining and logging.

Ground Water

As water moves through the sand, gravel, and limestone aquifers underlying Williams County, it dissolves and carries in solution minerals contained in these deposits. Also common in these aquifers are iron concentrations greater than 1 part-per-million (ppm). The water from the carbonate aquifer of limestone and dolomite bedrock generally is hard and may have high concentrations of sulfate and dissolved solids, and may require treatment. At greater depths, hydrogen sulfide gas is common. AEX-490.86 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, 158 wells in the county were sampled for nitrate content, of which 156 (98.7 percent of total) contained nitrate-nitrogen concentrations in the range of 0 to 0.3 ppm. This range is assumed to represent natural background levels. The 2 wells (1.3 percent) that tested in the range of 3.0 to 10 ppm may indicate elevated concentrations resulting from human activities. No well tested at over 10 ppm nitrate-nitrogen, which exceeds the safe drinking-water standard. The average test value for the 158 wells tested was 0.1 ppm, third best in the State of Ohio. Nitrate is a form of nitrogen which is an essential element for plant and human growth and the average person consumes 75 to 100 ppm of nitrate each day. Nitrate in drinking water usually is not a problem for adults, but babies less than 6 months old can not digest nitrate.

Bacterial counts are another indicator of ground-water quality. The Williams County Combined Health Department tests water samples for concerned citizens. Results of these tests indicate that in 1992, out of a total of 244 wells tested in Williams County for total coliform bacteria, 50 wells (20 percent) were declared unsafe. Although coliforms do not cause disease, they are a signal that wastes from warm-blooded animals may have contaminated the well. Bacteria contamination is usually the result of poor well construction or poor well maintenance. Shock treatments with chlorine usually correct most bacteria problems, making water safe for drinking, at least temporarily.

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. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers estimates that about 193,500 tons of sediment and 140 tons of phosphorous per year is carried by the Tiffin River system to Lake Erie. Sediment deposits impact river channels and Lake Erie.

In 1982, total phosphorous loading into Lake Erie was 13,665 tons, prompting many northwest Ohio counties to participate in the State initiative to reduce phosphorous loading to the lake. Williams County's share of the phosphorus reduction goal of 2,200 metric tons is 34.4 metric tons per year. That goal was exceeded in 1992 due mainly to the changes in tillage systems used by farmers. In 1992, out of a total of 122,938 acres of corn and soybeans in Williams County, 60,876 acres or almost 50 percent were farmed using conservation tillage. From 1990-92, the percent of conservation tillage acreage increased 148 percent. In 1992, Williams County also had 33,065 acres (12.3 percent of its land base) enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program, the highest number of acres for any county in Ohio. These changes have reduced soil erosion in Williams County and helped protect the quality of the water resource.

Through the Ohio Nonpoint Source Assessment and Water Resources Inventory, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) and ODNR have found that 13,000 stream miles in Ohio have been affected by nonpoint source pollution. Williams County contains portions of several streams and their tributaries that have been classified by the Assessment as being affected by nonpoint source pollution. Based on the findings of the Assessment and Inventory, the Ohio Nonpoint Source Management Plan has been implemented to help improve the quality of the state's waters. For specific information on results of the Assessment and details of the Management Plan for the county, contact the Ohio EPA Northwest District Office (347 N. Dunbridge Rd., Bowling Green, OH 43402).

Overall, Williams County has a safe supply of water. County citizens have a major challenge to protect water resources from pollutants that could affect the quality of the water supply. For more information about nonpoint source pollution, refer to Nonpoint Source Pollution: Water Primer, AEX 465, available from your county Extension office.

Summary

Water availability and quality are important public concerns. Water problems can be both costly and inconvenient. While the present and future availability of water is good for Williams 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 on water in Williams County. For more information on water resources and drinking-water quality in the county, contact the Williams County office of Ohio State University Extension. In addition, the following agencies may be able to provide information on other water resources topics in the county: Williams Soil and Water Conservation District; Williams County Health Department; ODNR Div. of Water (Fountain Square, Col., OH 43224); U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Ohio District (975 W. Third Ave., Col., OH 43212); Ohio EPA, (1800 WaterMark Dr., Col., OH 43266); and Ohio Department of Health (PO Box 118, Col., OH 43226).

Bibliography

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

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

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

Ground-water resources of Williams County, Ohio 1984-1986. 1989. USGS. WRI Report 89-4020.

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.

Inventory of Municipal Water-Supply Systems by County, Ohio. 1977. Ohio Water Inventory Report No. 24. ODNR Div. of Water.

Inventory of Ohio's Lakes. 1980. Ohio Water Inventory Report No. 26. ODNR Div. of Water.

Monthly Station Normals of Temperature, Precipitation, and Heating and Cooling Degree Days, 1961-90, Ohio. 1992. Climatology of the United States, No. 81 (by state). NOAA.

Nitrate and Pesticides in Private Wells of Ohio: A State Atlas. 1989. Water Quality Laboratory, Heidelberg College.

Nitrate In Drinking Water. 1987. K.M. Mancl. Bulletin No. 744. Ohio State University Extension.

Nonpoint Source Pollution: Water Primer. 1993. R. Leeds and L.C. Brown. AEX 465. Ohio State University Extension.

Northwest Ohio Conservation Tillage Field Data. 1992. S. Davis, USDA-SCS.

Northwest Ohio Water Plan. 1986. ODNR Div. of Water.

Ohio Ground-Water Quality. USGS National Water Summary - Ohio. 1986. USGS. Water-Supply Paper 2325.

Ohio Ground-Water Resources. USGS National Water Summary - Ohio. 1984. USGS. Water-Supply Paper 2275.

Ohio Nonpoint Source Management Program. 1993. ODNR. Fountain Square, Col., OH 43224-1387.

Ohio Surface-Water Resources. USGS National Water Summary - Ohio. 1985. USGS. Water-Supply Paper 2300.

Ohio Water Resource Inventory: Executive Summary and Volumes 1-4. 1992. Ohio EPA. Col., OH 43266-0149.

Ohio's Hydrologic Cycle. 1990. L.C. Brown and K.M. Coltman. AEX 461. Ohio State University Extension.

Private Water Systems Handbook. 1987. MWPS-14. Midwest Plan Service, Ames, IA. St. Joseph River Basin.

Underground Water Resources. 1959. A.C. Walker. ODNR Div. of Water (map).

Soil and Water Conservation District Resource Inventory. 1985. USDA-SCS.

State of Ohio Nonpoint Source Assessment: Volumes 1-6. 1990. Ohio EPA. Col., OH 43266-0149.

Surface and Ground Water Terminology. 1990. L.C. Brown and L.P. Black. AEX 460. Ohio State University Extension.

Tiffin River Basin, Underground Water Resources. 1978. A.C. Walker. ODNR Div. of Water (map).

Water - Ohio's Remarkable Resource. 1982. ODNR Div. of Water.

Water Resources Development in Ohio. 1991. US Army Corps of Engineers.

Watershed Plan and Environmental Assessment for Upper Tiffin Watershed, Ohio and Michigan. 1990. USDA-SCS and USDA-FS.

Williams County Health Department, Well Log. 1992. Jean Wise, Health Commissioner.

Williams County Engineer Ditch Maintenance Log. 1992.

Williams County Ground-Water Resources. 1993. J.J. Hoorman, A.W. Jones, L.C. Brown and K.M. Boone. AEX-490.86. Ohio State University Extension.

Williams County, Ohio Soil Survey. 1980. USDA-SCS.

Williams County USDA-ASCS Conservation Reserve Program. 1993. J. Radabaugh. USDA-ASCS.

Withdrawal and Distribution of Water By Public Water Supplies in Ohio, 1985. USGS. Open-File Report 89-423.

Acknowledgments

This publication was produced through the Ohio Water Resources Education Project, in cooperation with: ODNR Div. of Water; Ohio EPA; USGS, Ohio District; and Ohio Department of Health (ODH). Project leaders are Larry C. Brown and Kristina M. Boone. Support was provided, in part by: the cooperating agencies; Williams County office of OSU Extension; Williams Soil and Water Conservation District; Williams County Commissioners; Overholt Drainage Education and Research Program; and USDA Extension Service Grant No. 90-EWQI-1-9018.

The project leaders express appreciation to the following reviewers: Mark Jacoby and George Derringer (USDA-SCS); Jean Wise (Williams County Combined Health Department); James M. Raab, David Cashell and Leonard Black (ODNR Div. of Water); Scott Golden (Environmental Health, ODH); Steve Hindall and Ron Veley (USGS, Ohio District); James Wade (USDA-SCS); Tim Fishbaugh (Ohio EPA, Northwest District); Jay Fleming (Ohio EPA Div. of Drinking and Ground Water); and Larry Antosch (Ohio EPA Div. of Surface Water). A special thanks to Michelle Roby and Ross A. Roberts (Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Assistants) for help in manuscript and graphics preparation, and Judy Kauffeld, Publications Editor (Section of Communications and Technology, Ohio State University), for editorial and graphic production.