GROUNDWATER 
-
What the Michigan Groundwater Stewardship Program Means to Home Owners
The Michigan Groundwater Stewardship Program is administered by the
Michigan Department of Agriculture. The funds are derived from user fees on pesticides and
nitrogen fertilizers. Locally, the Van Buren Conservation District is the lead agency for
the program with the support of the Allegan Conservation District, MSU-Extension, Natural
Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Farm Bureau to name a few partnering agencies.
The grant provides funding for education, technical support and financial incentives to
reduce risks to groundwater.
SITE ASSESSMENT: PROTECTING WATER QUALITY AROUND YOUR
HOME
Why should I learn about my homesite's physical characteristics and
how I manage my home?
The water from your tap and in nearby lakes or streams is part of a
much larger water system. This larger system is called a watershed - the land area
that contributes water to a specific surface water body, such as a pond, lake, wetland,
river, estuary or bay. The landscape's hills and valleys define the watershed or
"catchment" area. A watershed's drainage system consists of a network of rivers,
streams, man-made channels and storm drains, wetlands, and the underlying groundwater.
Common activities - like how you dispose of used motor oil, or fertilize you lawn and
garden - can affect water quality, even when you do these things far from shore. Paying
careful attention to how you manage activities in and around your home, helps protect your
watershed and the water you drink. Even if you do not have a private well, the water you
receive from your city or town is most likely obtained from a city well field.
What influences the quality of my water?
Understanding the physical conditions of your residence and pinpointing
the locations of potential contamination sources are important first steps in safeguarding
your water supply. Physical characteristics such as soil type, depth to groundwater and
nearness to surface water may speed up or delay a contaminant's effect on water quality.
Activities that affect water quality include improper drinking water well construction and
maintenance, pesticide/fertilizer use and storage, unsafe septic system maintenance,
garbage disposal methods, and animal waste storage.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF YOU HOMESITE.
How can soil type affect water quality?
Soil plays and important role in determining where contaminants go and
how water moves. Nearly all soils are permeable - which means water and other fluids can
percolate or move through them. Different soils have different properties that permit
water - and contaminants - to seep through or run off at varying rates. Chemicals applied
to a lawn and wastes from a leaking septic tank, for example, can flow downward into
groundwater for run across the land into surface water. Many household activities can also
produce problems that go beyond property boundaries. Contaminants that enter groundwater
through an abandoned well flow to a neighbor's well.
What is your soil type?
Soil is grouped into three basic types based on particle size: clay
(small particles), silt/loam (medium particles) and sand/gravel (large particles). You can
get a good idea about your soil type by rubbing a moistened sample between two fingers. Is
it sticky like clay, gritty and crumbly like sand or somewhere in between? Consult the
soil survey manual for your county (Call your local Conservation District: Van Buren
616-657-4030 or Allegan 616-673-8965, your local groundwater technician can assist you) to
learn more about your soil.
How does soil type affect groundwater?
Groundwater is the water below the surface of the earth that saturates
the spaces between soil particles. Soil particle size influences which pollutants are able
to reach groundwater. Clay soils, which are made up of tiny particles, slow the downward
movement of water and in some cases can impede water movement. Sandy soils allow for rapid
waster movement, and silty soils occupy the mid-range. Soils with the largest particles
pose the greatest risks. Ironically, clay soils which are less permeable to downward
movement of water and chemicals allows more water to run-off at the surface during storms
and flooding. This run-off can wash contaminants form the land's surface into nearby
surface waters.
What can you do?
A first step in determining potential risks to groundwater at your
homesite is to create a survey map of your property. Include the location of your well,
septic system, fuel storage, buildings, surface water, drainage ditches, gardens, paved
areas and roads. Also make note of your predominant soil type and depth to groundwater if
known. This map will be used as a reference in future articles. Have your children help
with the site plan!
-
-
Last modified: July 27, 1999
