Plan of study for the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Regional Aquifer System Analysis

Sediments of Cretaceous to Holocene age compose the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain aquifer system in an area of 50,000 square miles in parts of New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina. The aquifer system is a major source of water supply in the area. About 1.4 billion gallons is withdrawn from its aquifers each day. Increasing withdrawal of ground water has created or intensified several problems such as declining water levels, development of large cones of depression, saltwater intrusion, spreading of ground-water contamination, and land subsidence. The U.S. Geological Survey has begun a comprehensive study that will define the geology, hydrology, and geochemistry of the aquifer system. The effects of future utilization of the aquifer system will be determined and alternative plans for water withdrawal will be evaluated through computer simulation modeling. This report describes the objectives, organization, and work plans of the study, and describes the work to be accomplished in each U.S. Geological Survey District of the study area.