Can Gravel Mining and Water Supply Wells Coexist?
Executive Summary • Introduction • Problem Statement • Objectives • Methods • Results (field observations, lab results, statistical analysis) • Discussion • Acknowledgements • Appendices Introduction Sand and gravel deposits are a legacy of the continental ice sheets that melted more than 10,000 years ago. As the ice melted fast moving rivers formed that left behind deposits of coarse sand and cobbles (called eskers). Where the rivers ran into the sea, large deltas formed with layers of sand and silt. In modern times, the ice is gone, the melt-water rivers have disappeared and sea-level has changed from where it once was. What are left, are scattered deposits of sand and gravel that have become important natural resources. Most people are familiar with the need for sand and gravel for construction material. Fewer people are aware that these same sand and gravel deposits are also prime sources of potable groundwater. Sand and gravel deposits are very porous; great amounts of water can p
