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Ohio River Alluvial Aquifer - Ground-water Network

Synopsis:

In February 1998, the City of Louisville, the Louisville Development Authority, and the U.S. Geological Survey combined resources in the downtown area of Louisville to monitor the changing conditions of groundwater levels in the alluvial aquifer. Ground-water levels had been on the rise due to the area's above average precipitation in 1996 and 1997, decreases in ground-water withdrawals in the area, and flooding events on the Ohio River and its tributaries during 1997. Rising ground-water levels in the downtown area could adversely affect the load bearing capacities of building foundations, inundate basements and sub-basements, and damage underground utility lines such as gas, water, sewer, electric, and telecommunications. Conversely, falling ground-water levels could result in subsidence and foundation problems.

To monitor the ground-water levels, eleven existing wells were incorporated into an observation well network. This network is measured quarterly. Two of the observation wells are equipped with continuously recording pressure transducers that measure water levels and water temperature. Hydrographs from the continuous recorder wells depict the trends in the ground-water levels.

Below is a map which depicts the general location of the ground-water observation wells, a chart that depicts water levels measured in the observation wells, and continuous hydrographs depicting water levels for two of the sites: