Ohio State University Extension

Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering

590 Woody Hayes Dr., Columbus, Ohio 43210

Wayne County Ground-Water Resources

AEX-490.85

Terry Beck
James M. Raab
Kristina M. Boone
Larry C. Brown

Water stored under the earth's surface is a plentiful, yet precious, resource in most areas of Ohio. Humans greatly affect ground water. However, the availability and quality of this resource are influenced directly by the properties of the geologic formation that holds 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 Wayne County. Its purpose is to help the reader better understand the factors that influence the quantity and quality of ground water. 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. Fact sheet AEX-460 and the publication Wayne County Water Resources, AEX-480.85, are available through your county Extension office.

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 types of geologic material from which the formation originally was made influence its ability to store and transmit water. For example, sands and gravels 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.

Sandstone aquifers, which underlie much of Wayne County, are composed of layers of fine-grained to conglomerate sandstone, and are the principal source of ground water in east central to northeastern Ohio. Another source of ground water in some areas of northeastern Ohio and the county are unconsolidated formations consisting of coarse- and fine-grained sand and gravel. These glacially-derived deposits of water-bearing gravel and sand are major water sources. Large ground-water withdrawals from at least two large towns in the county are from aquifers of this type. One major unconsolidated formation is known as the Killbuck Creek valley aquifer system.

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

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 data base, 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 hydrogeologists continue to study the state's ground-water resources, and 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 Wayne County (adapted from map by Crowell, 1979). This illustration is based on a hydrogeologic interpretation of the well log data from Wayne 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 Wayne County, Ohio (modified from K. Crowell, ODNR Division of Water, by R.A. Roberts).

AREA A: Coarse-Grained Sand and Gravel with High Yield Potential

Area A of Figure 1 is the best yielding ground-water area in Wayne County. Wells completed in these permeable sand and gravel deposits in a deep buried valley can yield 500 to 1,000 gpm at depths of 100 to 200 feet. These yields are considered adequate for municipal and large industrial well-field development. A generalized cross section of a buried valley aquifer is illustrated in Figure 2 (referenced as in Figure 1 as line X-X').

Figure 2. Generalized cross section of aquifers near Wooster in Wayne County, Ohio (modified from Underground Water Resources map, P-3, ODNR Division of Water).

AREA B: Permeable Sand and Gravel

Area B contains permeable sand and gravel deposits in a deep buried valley. Suitable yields for industrial and small municipal wells field can be developed at depths up to 320 feet. Wells will produce sustained yields of 100 to 500 gpm.

AREA C: Permeable Sandstone

Area C is part of the regional sandstone aquifer that underlies much of east central and northeast Ohio. This aquifer may produce ground water sufficient for farm and small industrial supplies. Farm and domestic supplies of 10 to 25 gpm are available at depths less than 150 feet. Typically, 50 to 100 gpm are available from wells of up to 300 feet deep. In portions of Baughman and Green townships, yields range from 100 to 600 gpm.

AREA D: Sand and Gravel with Moderate Yield Potential

Area D contains interbedded and interlensed sand, gravel, silt and clay deposits. Farm and small industrial supplies of up to 100 gpm are available from wells of up to 325 feet deep.

AREA E: Sandstone Overlain by Sand, Gravel and Clay

The aquifer illustrated as Area E is part of the sandstone formation that underlies much of east central and northeast Ohio. Throughout most of this area, the bedrock is covered with 20 to 80 feet of unconsolidated glacial material, which may supply domestic well yields in the glaciated portions of the county. In some areas, this aquifer is overlain with sand and gravel, and impermeable layers of clay up to 300 feet thick. Yields from wells completed in the sandstone can be up to 25 gpm, which is sufficient for farm and domestic supplies.

AREA F: Discontinuous Sand and Gravel

Area F contains discontinuous deposits of sand and gravel within the valley fill and glacial outwash deposits. Yields of 10 to 30 gpm are available at depths of up to 210 feet. Domestic supplies are available from the underlying sandstone if permeable sand and gravel deposits are not encountered above this bedrock.

AREA G: Sand and Gravel Interbedded with Thick, Clayey Till

Area G is the poorest yielding formation in Wayne County. Ground water is obtained from limited sand and gravel deposits interbedded with thick, clayey glacial till. Yields range from 2 to 10 gpm at depths of up to and greater than 300 feet. Potable water may be found in underlying sandstone and shale formations. While this well production generally would be adequate for domestic needs, storage is usually needed for peak daily demands.

Ground-Water Levels

The water level in any well typically does not remain constant, but changes depending upon the proximity of adjacent wells and surface streams, and natural rainfall. Ground-water discharge and recharge greatly affect water levels in wells. The ODNR Division of Water monitors ground-water levels in four wells in Wayne County. Two wells located in Wooster are designated as observation wells WN-2a and WN-3 on Figure 1. The other two are located in the northern part of the county near the towns of Rittman and Sterling, designated as WN-6 and WN-7, respectively. These are four of a number of wells throughout northeastern Ohio used to monitor the natural seasonal fluctuation or effects of nearby pumping on water levels in the bedrock, and sand and gravel aquifers.

Observation wells WN-2a, WN-6 and WN-7 are 65, 123 and 180 feet deep, respectively, and are completed in sand and gravel. Observation well WN-3 is 20 feet deep and is completed in shale. These wells are representative of many wells in the region. Continuous water level measurements have been recorded at: WN-2a since July 1951; WN-3 since June 1955; WN-6 since May 1971; and WN-7 since April 1979. The lowest level recorded on WN-2a (near Wooster) was 37.9 feet below land surface in June 1988; the highest level recorded was 2.4 feet below land surface in January 1956. The data from WN-3 (near Wooster) indicate the lowest level recorded was 16.2 feet below land surface in January 1956; the highest level recorded was 10.4 feet below land surface in April 1987. The lowest recorded level for WN-6 (Rittman) was 92.8 feet below land surface in July 1971, while the highest level was 69.9 feet in April 1984. For WN-7 (Sterling), the lowest recorded level was 27.8 feet in October 1988, and the highest level was 5.4 feet below the land surface in January 1980.

Ground-Water Quality

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

The results from some of the chemical tests performed on these Wayne County wells are given in Table 1. The chemical constituents listed are total dissolved solids, hardness (as CaCO₃), iron and sulfate. All concentrations are given in parts-per-million (ppm). For comparison purposes, secondary drinking water-quality standards for these chemical constituents are also 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. These chemical constituents do not pose a risk to human health (see notes in Table 1). There are no drinking water-quality standards for private wells.

The information in Table 1 can be used as a guide to what one might expect from an existing or new well. 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.

Human activities also affect the quality of ground water in Ohio. In northeastern Ohio, many urban areas are located over sand and gravel aquifers, where the probability of toxic spills and the quantity of waste material is greater than in sparsely populated areas. Sand and gravel aquifers are very susceptible to contamination. These aquifers are recharged close to or at the land surface, thus recharge water travels only a short distance from the surface to the aquifer, creating the potential for contaminants to reach the aquifer quickly.

Further, the Ohio economy is supported by service industries, manufacturing and agriculture. Throughout Wayne County, as well as eastern and northwestern Ohio, oil and gas are produced, and surface mining for coal continues on the south central and southeastern border of the county. Limestone is quarried west of Fredericksburg. In Rittman, a major salt company extracts salt from a brine solution pumped from deep deposits. Major sand and gravel deposits suitable for commercial use are in the Killbuck Creek valley, south of Wooster, and in Chippewa and Baughman townships. Agricultural farm land comprises more than 70 percent of the land area of Wayne County. All of these land uses can lead to contamination of ground water if proper care and precautions are not taken.

Table 1. Chemical constituents of selected Wayne County wells.
Well No.	1	2	3	4	5	6	WQ Std1
Well Depth (feet)	-2	43	215	117	100	150
Capacity (gpm)	1,000	1,200	160	400	100	60
Depth to Bedrock (feet)	NE3	NE	40	NE	32	44
Water-Bearing Formation4	SG	SG	SS	G	SS	SS
Chemical Constituents5
Total Dissolved Solids	314	401	926	310	271	307	500
Hardness (as CaCO3)	173	290	570	185	210	258	None6
Iron	-	2.5	1.1	0.8	1.0	0.05	0.3
Sulfate	76	64	-	-	-	-	250
1 USEPA Secondary Water Quality Standard.
2 Data not available.
3 Well constructed in this formation did not encounter bedrock.
4 SG - Sand and Gravel; SS - Sandstone; G - Gravel.
5 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. 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: Concentrations greater than 0.3 ppm may cause rust-colored stains on laundry, plumbing fixtures and sinks. Metallic taste may be present and may affect the taste of beverages made from the water. Sulfate: Concentrations in excess of 250 ppm may have laxative effect on persons unaccustomed to the water; also affects the taste of water and will form a hard scale in boilers and heat exchangers.
6 No USEPA Secondary Standard

Summary

Wayne 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. By understanding the physical and chemical nature of these resources, better decisions can be made about ground-water protection, management and use. This publication was designed to provide the reader with 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 Wayne County Extension office can provide other publications on the county's water resources. Your Extension agent, the Wayne County Department of Health and Ohio EPA Division of Drinking and Ground Water (1800 WaterMark Drive, Columbus, OH 43266) 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 the map, Ground-Water Resources of Wayne County, and other information available through the Division of Water. This map is much more detailed than that given in Figure 1, and 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

Ground-Water for Planning in Northwest Ohio. 1970. ODNR Division of Water.

Ground-Water Resources of Wayne County. 1979. K. Crowell. 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.

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.

Soil Survey of Wayne County. 1984. USDA-Soil Conservation Service.

Surface and Ground Water Terminology. 1990. L.C. Brown and L.P. Black. AEX-460. Ohio Cooperative Extension Service, The Ohio State University.

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

Water Testing. 1988. K. Mancl. AEX-314. Ohio Cooperative Extension Service, The Ohio State University.

Watershed Plan and Environmental Assessment For Upper Killbuck Creek Watershed. 1985. USDA-Soil Conservation Service.

Wayne County Water Resources. 1992. T.L. Beck, K.M. Boone and L.C. Brown. AEX-480.85. Ohio Cooperative Extension Service, The Ohio State University.

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; Wayne County Extension office; Wayne 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: Barry Cavanna (USDA-Soil Conservation Service); David Cashell (ODNR Division of Water); Scott Golden (Environmental Health, ODH); Robert Gustafson (Agricultural Engineering, OSU); Steve Hindall (USGS, Ohio District); and Andy Klakulak (Ohio EPA Division of Drinking and Ground 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 and Tonya Ewing (Section of Communications & Technology, OSU Extension) for editorial and graphic production.