The southeastern limestone aquifer system is one of the major sources of ground water in the United States. Over 3 billion gallons of water are pumped daily making the aquifer the principal source of municipal, industrial, and agricultural water supply in large parts of Florida and Georgia and to a lesser extent in South Carolina, and Alabama. Another important use is the disposal of industrial wastes and treated sewage into parts of the limestone system containing saline water. A variety of problems have developed in the aquifer in recent years, principally declining water levels, saltwater intrusion in coastal areas, water-quality degradation, and inadequate supplies of fresh ground water locally.
In 1978 the U.S. Geological Survey began a study whose goal is to provide a complete description of the hydrogeologic framework, geochemistry, and regional flow system of the limestone aquifer. A 4-year effort is planned that will include: (1) synthesis of all existing data and presentation on a series of regional hydrogeological and geochemical maps; (2) obtaining new hydrogeological information to fill data voids -- particularly where ongoing State and Federal programs are not likely to generate such data; and (3) design and calibration of a regional digital model of the aquifer system and detailed models of problem areas. Computer simulation will be used extensively to assess the effects of large withdrawals of ground water and waste injection into the aquifer.
