Estimating highest ground-water levels for construction and land-use planning - a Cape Cod, Massachusetts example
Frimpter MH and Fisher MN. 1983. Estimating highest ground-water levels for construction and land-use planning - a Cape Cod, Massachusetts example. U. S. Geological Survey Water Resources Investigations 83-4112. U. S. Geological Survey. Boston, MA
High ground-water level is one major cause of septic-system failures, wet basements, and other serious problems for suburban and rural residents. A technique for estimating the level to which ground water can rise as a consequence of weather and seasonal factors has been developed to assist the homebuilding industry and health officials who design, construct, or regulate septic systems. Water-level records from about 160 sites were used to make four maps of annual water-level ranges: 0-2 feet, 2-3 feet, 3-4 feet, 4-5 feet, and 5-6 feet. Nine observation wells with 16 or more years of record were used to index water-level fluctuations throughout Cape Cod. To estimate high water levels, measurements of the current depth to water at test sites are cross referenced with current depth to water in the index wells. This report uses septic-system regulations on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, as an example. The technique can also be used at potential building construction sites and other places where estimates of highest ground-water levels are needed. The technique assumes good correlations between water-level fluctuations at septic-system sites and the index wells. Eighty-seven percent of the correlation coefficients determined from correlating water-level fluctuations from 146 sites with waterlevel fluctuations in the index wells were greater than 0.8.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Frimpter, M; Fisher, M
- Date of Issue
- 1983-09
- Publisher
- U. S. Geological Survey
- Units
- CACO
- Keywords
- Geology Hydrology Soils, Groundwater, Land-Use, Management, Natural Res, Planning