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Reversal of Declining Ground-Water Levels in the Chicago Area

Fact Sheet 222-95
By:
https://doi.org/10.3133/fs22295

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Abstract

Abundant water resources have been an important part of the economic development of the Chicago area for more than a century. The city of Chicago, Ill., and other lakefront towns have used Lake Michigan as a water supply. Where water from Lake Michigan was not available or a need for supplemental water supplies was present, deep wells (generally greater than 700 feet) provided a clean, reliable, and abundant water supply from the Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer. Public water suppliers withdraw the most ground water in the eight-county Chicago area (Cook, Du Page, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties). This report describes a reversal in the trend of declining ground-water levels in the Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer in the Chicago area as public water suppliers have converted from the withdrawal of ground water from wells to the withdrawal of surface water from Lake Michigan.

Suggested Citation

Avery, C., 1995, Reversal of declining ground-water levels in the Chicago area: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 222–95, 2 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/fs22295.

ISSN: 2327-6932 (online)

Study Area

Table of Contents

  • Introduction
  • Historical Pumpage
  • Water-Level Declines
  • Supreme Court Decree
  • Water-Level Recovery
  • Selected References
Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Reversal of declining ground-water levels in the Chicago area
Series title Fact Sheet
Series number 222-95
DOI 10.3133/fs22295
Year Published 1995
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) Illinois Water Science Center
Description 2 p.
Country United States
State Illinois
City Chicago
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details