Simulated effects of future withdrawals on water levels in the northeastern coastal plain aquifers of New Jersey
Water-Resources Investigations Report
88-4199
By: W.A. Battaglin and M. C. Hill
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Abstract
In the northeastern Coastal Plain of New Jersey, groundwater withdrawals have produced large cones of depression in all four major regional aquifers. Prior to development, water levels in the four aquifers were 20 to 120 ft above sea level and natural groundwater flow was towards Raritan Bay. In 1983, when total withdrawals exceeded 90 million gal/day, water levels were as low as 185 ft below sea level in the Wenonah-Mount Laurel aquifer, 225 ft below sea leval in the Englishtown aquifer system and 52 and 82 ft below sea level in the upper and middle aquifers of the Potomac-Raritan-Magothy aquifer system, respectively. With development, the natural direction of groundwater flow has been reversed, resulting in the movement of saltwater into parts of the upper and middle aquifers of the Potomac-Raritan-Magothy aquifer system. An 11-layer finite-difference model of the entire New Jersey Coastal Plain was used to simulate the effects of six scenarios of future groundwater withdrawals on water levels in the northeastern Coastal Plain of New Jersey through the year 2020. In the simulation with the most severe reduction, most of the groundwater withdrawals in the northeastern and west-central areas of the Coastal Plain were limited to 50% of 1983 withdrawals after 1990. Even with such restrictions, the lowest simulated water levels in the northeastern part of the Coastal Plain for 2010 are still well below sea level. (USGS)
| Publication type | Report |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | USGS Numbered Series |
| Title | Simulated effects of future withdrawals on water levels in the northeastern coastal plain aquifers of New Jersey |
| Series title | Water-Resources Investigations Report |
| Series number | 88-4199 |
| DOI | 10.3133/wri884199 |
| Edition | - |
| Year Published | 1989 |
| Language | ENGLISH |
| Publisher | Dept. of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey ; Books and Open-File Reports [distributor], |
| Description | vi, 58 p. :ill., maps ;28 cm. |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |