Groundwater Basics

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Groundwater Basics Why We Should Be Testing
Jenny Erickson, Sauk County UW-Extension Communi
ty Development Educator
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Thanks for Participating!
140 households participated from the Town of
Excelsior, Dellona and Winfield!
Big THANKS to the Excelsior, Dellona and Winfield
Town Boards and volunteers for making this
program happen!!
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The Water Cycle
Precipitation
Transpiration
Infiltration
Runoff
Evaporation
Percolation
Well
Unsaturated Zone
Water Table
Runoff
Groundwater
River
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Groundwater Basics
Unsaturated Zone
Soil Particles
Water Table
Saturated Zone
All the water below the water table is considered
groundwater.
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How Much Groundwater Does Wisconsin have
Anyway??
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Sandstone
Aquifer A water bearing geological formation.
Quartzite
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Defining Watershed Boundaries
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Groundwater Movement
Impermeable bedrock
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Groundwater flow
Impermeable bedrock
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Groundwater Movement Where does your water come
from? How fast is it going?
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Groundwater Contamination Susceptibility

• Susceptibility is related to the type of soil
  and the local geology.
• Land-use ultimately determines if groundwater
  becomes contaminated.

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Why Continue to Test Your Drinking Water?

• 70 of Wisconsin residents depend on groundwater
  as a drinking water source.
• Public wells are regulated, but private well
  owners are responsible for the testing and
  treating of their drinking water.

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Where can I get my water tested?
The homeowner package drinking water testing
bottles are available at the Sauk County
UW-Extension Office located on the 3rd floor of
the West Square Building. For additional tests
contact the UW-Stevens Point Water and
Environmental Analysis Lab at 1-877-ETF-TEST.
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When Should I test Again??
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Questions?
Questions?
Questions?