Ohio State University Extension

Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering

590 Woody Hayes Dr., Columbus, Ohio 43210

Belmont County Ground-Water Resources

AEX-490.07

Stephen D. Schumacher
A. Wayne Jones
Larry C. Brown
Kristina M. Boone

Water stored under the earth's surface is a plentiful, yet precious, resource in most areas of Ohio. Many human activities may affect the quality and quantity of this resource. However, the availability and quality of this resource are influenced directly by the properties of the geologic formations that hold water. The chemical and physical nature of these formations varies from area to area, creating a wide range of water yields and quality at different depths. This publication contains information about the ground-water resources underlying Belmont County. Its purpose is to help the reader better understand the factors which influence the quantity and quality of ground water. An overview of the county's water resources is provided in the publication Belmont County Water Resources, AEX-480.07.

Much of the water resource and water quality terminology used in this publication is described in Extension Facts Sheets AEX 460 and 465. Ohio Extension publications are available through the Belmont County office of Ohio State University Extension.

Aquifers

Geologic formations (e.g., sand, gravel, limestone, sandstone) have the ability to receive, store and transmit water. In general, if a formation is capable of yielding enough water to support a well or spring, it is called an aquifer. The material from which the formation originally was made influences its ability to store and transmit water. For example, sand and gravel allow water to flow through easily. By comparison, shale, which originated from compacted layers of mud and clay, generally allows very little water to flow through it unless the shale is highly fractured.

The principal source of water supply for much of the unglaciated upland area of southeastern Ohio, including Belmont County, is from shaly sandstone or thin limestone aquifers. These strata are dominated by low-yielding shales and shaly sandstones that include numerous coal-bearing strata. In some places, small water supplies are available from fractured coal beds. Vertical permeability is greatly restricted, and yields in upland areas are meager. Water-bearing zones in the region typically are less than 100 feet thick. Large-diameter, gravel-packed wells commonly are constructed in this low-yield material. The reservoir space within the well itself is available to collect water, which generally flows at less than one gallon per minute from the aquifer. Locally, the aquifers may be affected by concentrations of 500 to 1,000 parts-per-million (ppm) of chloride. In some coal-producing areas of the county, acid ground water (pH of less than 7.0) may occur. Some ground water may contain substantial amounts of iron and aluminum.

The only large-source aquifers in Belmont County are found along the Ohio River. These aquifers contain thick, permeable sand and gravel deposits, which can yield substantial quantities of water. This valley fill material ranges from 60 to 85 feet in thickness, and is hydraulically connected to the Ohio River.

Well Yield

The actual yield of a well, in gallons per minute (gpm), will vary considerably depending on the age and depth of the well, the diameter of the casing, well construction, pump capacity and age, and most importantly, properties of the geologic formation. The exact yield and depth of each well will depend on the properties of the geologic formation at the specific location of the well.

Ground-Water Availability

To support the development of ground-water availability assessments in Ohio, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Division of Water, maintains a statewide data base of more than 700,000 well logs. The Ground-Water Resources Section of the Division manages this valuable database, which includes some information collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA). Since 1948, well log information has been collected to increase the understanding of the ground-water resources in Ohio. Geologists and hydrologists continue to study the state's ground-water resources. As a result, Ohio is one of only a few states that has been completely mapped for ground-water availability (mapped by river basin, from 1959 to 1962).

Estimates of the size, shape, geologic make-up and yields of aquifers are being mapped county by county. Most of Ohio's counties have a completed map. The map presented in Figure 1 is a generalized representation of the water-bearing formations underlying Belmont County (adapted from map by Walker, 1991). This illustration is based on a hydrologic interpretation of the well-log data from Belmont County and surrounding areas. It should be used only as a guide to understanding the ground-water resources in the county. The remainder of this section provides a brief description of the types of aquifers illustrated on the map in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Ground-water resources of Belmont County, Ohio (adapted from ODNR Division of Water map by J. Humphreys).

AREA A: Permeable Sand and Gravel, High-Yield Potential

In Area A, shown in Figure 1, wells drilled into the thick permeable sand and gravel deposits may yield in excess of 1,000 gpm when developed from horizontal collector wells. These yields are considered adequate for large industrial and municipal supplies. This valley fill material ranges from 60 to 85 feet thick, and is hydraulically connected to the Ohio River. Wells in this area along the Ohio River supply much of the county through regional water systems. Figure 2 is a generalized cross-section of a sand and gravel aquifer along the Ohio River, near Brilliant, Ohio.

Figure 2. Generalized cross section of Belmont County, Ohio (adapted from Underground Water Resources map S-3, ODNR Division of Water, by R. Roberts).

AREA B: Sand and Gravel

The sand and gravel aquifers, shown as Area B, generally are lower yielding than the aquifers of Area A. These sand and gravel deposits are capable of yielding from 25 to 100 gpm. Smaller industrial supplies may be available from these deposits in areas which are not immediately adjacent to the Ohio River.

AREA C: Fine-Grained Sand and Gravel

These aquifers, illustrated as Area C, are located along portions of stream valleys. Wells completed in these aquifers typically yield from 3 to 10 gpm. Valley fill as thick as 60 feet contains lenses of fine-grained sand and gravel, which may yield enough water for domestic supplies. If sand and gravel lenses are not present, wells are usually finished in the underlying bedrock described below.

AREA D: Sandstone, Shale and Limestone

The sandstone, shale and limestone aquifer, illustrated as Area D, is the principal aquifer underlying most of the upland areas of Belmont County. Very limited, and often inadequate water supplies are obtained from thin beds of sandstone, shale and limestone. Yields average less than 2 gpm, and the average well depth is 95 feet. These aquifers occur in approximately 99 percent of Belmont County.

Ground-Water Levels

The water level in any well usually does not remain constant, but may change depending upon several factors. Rainfall distribution and amount, and fluctuating water level in a stream that is hydraulically connected to an aquifer, may affect ground-water recharge and discharge, and subsequently may affect the water level in area wells. Also, in some cases, depending upon the hydraulic properties of the geologic formation, the intense pumping of a well, or number of wells, may cause the water level in some nearby wells to be lowered.

The ODNR Division of Water monitors ground-water levels in one well in Belmont County. This well is located near Mount Olivett and is designated as Observation well B-3 on Figure 1. It is one of a number of wells throughout eastern Ohio used to monitor the natural seasonal fluctuations on water levels in the shale and sandstone aquifer.

Observation well B-3 is 119 feet deep, and the depth to bedrock is approximately 3 feet. It is representative of many wells constructed in the shale and sandstone bedrock in the region. Continuous water-level measurements have been recorded at B-3 since July 1984. The lowest level recorded on B-3 was 62.9 feet below land surface in December 1988; the highest level recorded was 53.6 feet below land surface in December 1990.

Ground-Water Quality

Various state and federal agencies have participated in programs to determine the ground-water quality in Ohio. For six wells in Belmont County, water-quality data were available from the ODNR Division of Water. In Figure 1, these wells are noted as Chemical Analysis Sites 1 through 6. These sites are municipal wells.

The results from some of the chemical tests performed on these Belmont County wells are given in Table 1. The chemical constituents listed are total dissolved solids, hardness (as CaCO₃), iron, manganese, chloride, sulfate and fluoride. For comparison purposes, secondary drinking water-quality standards for these chemical constituents also are shown. These standards are established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) for public water systems for aesthetic reasons (taste, odor, appearance, etc.), and are not enforceable. Except for fluoride concentrations greater than 4.0 ppm, these chemical constituents do not pose a risk to human health (see notes in Table 1). For private wells, there are no legally enforceable drinking water-quality standards other than total coliform, which is an indicator of bacteriological quality.

The information in Table 1 can be used as a guide to what one might expect from an existing or new well developed in similar geologic material in the county. This information provides a general representation of the quality of the water at the time of sampling, which was not the same for all wells. In most cases, the data provided in Table 1 was taken from a water sample obtained just after the well was put into operation. Even though three of these wells were developed in the sand and gravel underlying Belmont County, and all of these wells are in the range of 58 to 93 feet deep, some variation exists in the concentrations of each of these chemical constituents. Just as well yields differ, water quality will vary depending on aquifer properties at the specific location of each well. One should not forget that many human activities also affect the quality of ground water (see AEX 465).

Table 1. Chemical constituents of selected Belmont County wells1.
Well No.	1	2	3	4	5	6	WQ Std2
Well Depth (feet)	93	71	66	68	58	70
Capacity (gpm)	2	600	300	700	-3	4
Depth to Bedrock (ft)	10	NE4	NE	NE	615
Water Bearing Formation	SS, SH5	SG	SG	SG	LS	SS
Chemical Constituents6
Total Dissolved Solids	366	388	106	623	330	238	500
Hardness (as CaCO3)	-	-	-	370	242	164	none7
Iron	0.46	0.03	0.03	0.18	0.13	0.2	0.3
Manganese	0.03	0.0	0.03	-	-	-	0.05
Chloride	2	24	18	31	4	0.16	250
Sulfate	36	122	106	-	-	-	250
Fluoride	0.4	0.14	0.13	-	-	-	2
1. Data on wells 1-3 from map by Walker, 1991; wells 4-6 from watershed maps S-3 and S-4; General location of each well is shown on Figure 1.
2. USEPA Secondary Water Quality Standard.
3. Data not available.
4. Well constructed in this formation did not encounter bedrock.
5. SS - Sandstone; SH - Shale; SG - Sand and Gravel; LS - Limestone.
6. Units are parts-per-million, ppm; Comments as per "Interpreting Your Water Test Report" (1988) Total Dissolved Solids: Concentrations above 500 ppm may cause adverse taste and deteriorate domestic plumbing and appliances. Use of water containing 500 ppm is common. Hardness: Primary concerns are that more soap is required for effective cleaning, a film may form on fixtures, fabrics may yellow, and scales may form in boilers, water heaters and cooking utensils. Iron and Manganese: Iron concentrations greater than 0.3 ppm and manganese concentrations greater than 0.03 may cause brown or black stains on laundry, plumbing fixtures and sinks. Metallic taste may be present which may affect the taste of beverages made from the water. Chloride: High concentrations may result in an objectionable, salty taste to water and the corrosion of plumbing in the hot water system. Sulfate: Concentrations in excess of 250 ppm may have laxative effect on people unaccustomed to the water. Also affects the taste of water and will form a hard scale in boilers and heat exchangers. Fluoride: At concentrations greater than 1.5 ppm, fluorosis (mottling) of teeth may occur. USEPA Primary Standard is 4 ppm.
7. No USEPA Secondary Standard.

Summary

Belmont County's ground-water resources are valuable assets to the county's citizens and industry. The availability and quality of these resources are directly influenced by the properties of the geologic formations underlying the county. The sand and gravel formations along the Ohio River offer an excellent source of abundant water, and wells in these areas supply water for much of the county through regional water systems. By understanding the physical and chemical nature of these resources, better decisions can be made about ground-water protection, management and use. This publication provided an overview of the county's ground-water resources. It should be used as a guide, and not as a substitute for detailed information and professional advice when drilling a well.

Where to Get More Information

The Belmont County office of Ohio State University Extension can provide other publications on the county's water resources. Your Extension agent, the Belmont County Health Department and Ohio EPA Southeast District Office - SEDO (2195 Front St., Logan, OH 43138) can provide information on well-water testing and drinking-water quality. The ODNR Division of Water - Ground-Water Resources Section (Fountain Square, Columbus, OH 43224) is an excellent source of information on ground water. Some of the information in this publication was summarized from a map titled Ground-Water Resources of Belmont County, and other information available through the Division of Water. This map is much more detailed than that given in Figure 1 of this publication. In addition, personnel in the Ground-Water Resources Section can provide you with more detailed information about ground-water availability and wells. The USGS, Ohio District (975 W. Third Ave. Columbus, OH 43212), also provides information about ground water in Ohio.

Bibliography

Belmont County Water Resources. 1993. S.D. Schumacher, K.M. Boone and L.C. Brown. AEX-480.07. Ohio State University Extension.

Ground-Water Resources of Belmont County. 1991. A.C. Walker. ODNR Division of Water. (map).

Interpreting Your Water Test Report. 1988. D. Lundstrom and S. Fundingsland. AE-937, No. 13-AENG-10. North Dakota State University Extension Service.

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

Ohio Ground-Water Quality. USGS National Water Summary - Ohio. 1986. U.S. Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 2325.

Ohio Ground-Water Resources. USGS National Water Summary - Ohio. 1984. U.S. Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 2275.

Southeast Ohio Water Plan. 1978. ODNR Division of Water.

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

Underground Water Resources (maps of various river basins). 1958-1962. ODNR Division of Water.

Water Testing. 1988. K. Mancl. AEX-314. Ohio State University Extension.

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 Ohio Department of Health (ODH). Project leaders are Larry C. Brown and Kristina M. Boone. Support for this publication was provided, in part, by: cooperating agencies; Ohio State University Extension, Belmont County; Belmont County Commissioners; Belmont Soil and Water Conservation District; Overholt Drainage Education and Research Program; and USDA Extension Service Grant No. 90-EWQI-1-9018.

The project leaders acknowledge the following reviewers: Jim Forshey (USDA Soil Conservation Service); Neil Rubel (Belmont Soil and Water Conservation District); Scott Golden (Environmental Health, ODH); Steve Hindall (USGS, Ohio District); and Michael Preston (Ohio EPA, SEDO).

A special thanks to Julie Carpenter (Belmont County office of OSU Extension), Michelle Roby, Ross Roberts and John Humphreys (Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Assistants) for help in graphic and manuscript preparation, and Judy Kauffeld, Publications Editor (Section of Communications and Technology, Ohio State University), for editorial and graphic production.