Background - Detailed mapping of the glacial aquifer within the Chemung River and adjacent tributary valleys in Eastern Chemung County is the latest study in the cooperative Detailed Aquifer Mapping Program between the US Geological Survey (USGS) and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). The aim of the program is to map glacial aquifers in New York State at a scale of 1:24,000. This information is used by NYSDEC Division of Water and others for delineation of groundwater contributing areas, assessing potential threats to aquifers from both point and non-point sources, responding to contamination from spills or leaks from underground storage facilities, and providing information to assess the need to permit new or expanded public water supplies. Study areas are based on NYSDEC program needs. Objective and Study Area - The objective of this study is to characterize the hydrogeology of valley-fill aquifer(s) in eastern Chemung County that includes the east-west oriented Chemung River valley section from Chemung to Wellsburg, NY and tributary valleys extending northward as far as Erin, NY (figure 1). Interstate 86 (formerly NY Route 17) traverses the valley-fill deposits along the Chemung River valley.
Approach - An inventory of wells and groundwater use will be conducted. The depth to bedrock and
character of the valley fill will be determined from well logs and from geophysical measurements.
Maps will be prepared (as data allows) that depict the (1) aquifer extent, (2) locations of wells and test holes,
(3) surficial geology, and (4) generalized water-table contours and groundwater-flow directions. A table will be compiled that presents construction and hydrogeologic information from the inventoried wells. Several geologic sections will depict the aquifer framework.
Project
Location by County
Chemung County, NY
