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The Great Flats Aquifer, an Environmental Protection Agency designated sole source aquifer located in Schenectady County, New York, is a drinking water source for five municipalities; that include: the City of Schenectady; Village of Scotia, and the Towns of Glenville, Niskayuna, and Rotterdam. The municipal well fields for both Schenectady and Rotterdam are located adjacent to the Mohawk River. Previous investigations have concluded that the withdrawal of ground water from the well fields induces infiltration from the Mohawk River. The hydraulic relationship between the aquifer and a series of wetlands within the recharge zone surrounding the Schenectady and Rotterdam well fields has not been as well understood. Proposed development of the region around the wetlands prompted a study funded by the EPA to monitor surface water and ground water chemistry in the area to specifically determine the degree of interaction between the aquifer, the wetlands, and the river. Surface water and ground water samples collected from the wetlands, the river, and a network of monitoring wells were analyzed for oxygen-18 and deuterium isotope concentrations. The data were used to evaluate the recharge sources to the aquifer. The results show that the Mohawk River is the major source of recharge to the aquifer in the vicinity of the Schenectady and Rotterdam municipal well fields. The data indicate that a hydrologic connection exists between the wetlands and the aquifer, but the volume of recharge water contributed to the well field by the wetlands is minimal compared to that from the river.

Authors:

Nadeau, J.M. and Pelton, J., 2009
New York State Wetlands Forum, Poughkeepsie, New York

Keywords:
Great Flats Aquifer, sole source aquifer, oxygen isotope, hydrogen isotope, groundwater sampling, wetlands, recharge zone, oxygen 18, deuterium

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