The Iowa legislature has set aside 250-thousand dollars to start developing accurate maps of Iowa’s underground water resources. State geologist Keith Schilling is director of the Iowa Geological Survey, the agency that will develop the maps of shallow groundwater supplies.
Schilling says his agency has done some site-specific research in some locations around the state.
Schilling’s agency has the equipment, supplies and technology that can be used to evaluate water supplies above the bedrock surface.
The alluvium he mentioned is generally the area that borders a river where sediment is deposited by the flow of water at the surface. The shallow GROUNDWATER maps — once completed — should help determine the long-term sustainability of each aquifer in Iowa according to Schilling.
Schilling says understanding the basic distribution of Iowa’s shallow groundwater resources may prevent potential disputes over water access in the future.
Mapping DEEP underground aquifers that are BELOW the bedrock is really expensive and is NOT part of this project. The funding to start mapping shallow aquifers is included in a budget bill that cleared the legislature last week.
