Ground-Water Resources and Hydrogeology of Crystalline-Rock Aquifers in Rockdale County

Cooperator: Rockdale County
Year Started: 2001

Until recently, it was widely accepted that little ground water was available from crystalline-rock aquifers of the Piedmont, and hence ground water was largely ignored as a viable water resource. Although ground water in the Piedmont may never be developed as a sole-source for a large municipality, this resource has been developed successfully as a dependable supplemental source for existing water supplies. If properly developed and managed, supplemental use of ground water can have great economic, environmental, and other practical benefits. Rockdale County is a high-growth area that plans to evaluate alternative sources of water to its existing surface-water supply. The county previously operated five wells that tapped into a productive granite gneiss unit; however, these wells are no longer used.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with Rockdale County, is evaluating ground-water availability and quality in crystalline-rock aquifers that underlie the area. Information from this project will be used for development of water resources. In addition, the ground-water studies in Rockdale County will allow the USGS to compile detailed information on rock types and geologic structures that tend to promote development of high-yielding waterbearing fractures. This information will help foster a better understanding of these aquifers and provide information for the future development and management of this resource.

Objectives

• Help define the best methods and approaches to characterize the availability of ground water in crystalline-rock areas. The USGS and others will use these methods for developing watersheds in similar geologic settings; and
• Provide baseline geologic and hydrologic information for a typical crystalline-rock aquifer setting in north Georgia. State and local water-management agencies will be able to use this information when developing ground-water-use policies for the region.

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