In Dane County, all drinking water comes from groundwater. Maintaining this resource is therefore vital for our quality of life. Some water issues pose unique challenges for groundwater resource planning.
Identify and characterize the location of groundwater and related physical resources (soils, geology, water table depth, springs, etc.)
Evaluate, characterize and portray existing groundwater quality and quantity data for the county
Inventory and assess existing and potential pollution sources in Dane County
Describe and evaluate existing federal, state, and local programs that pertain to groundwater management
Recommend groundwater protection strategies to improve groundwater management and prevent groundwater pollution
Evaluate alternative management strategies for addressing groundwater quantity issues
Provide regional water supply planning information for subsequent water supply planning purposes required under Wis. Stats. 281.348
Create and share new products including Zone of Contribution and Groundwater Contamination Risk maps
Introduce the use of groundwater budget indices and fish response curves to assess the sustainability of local water supply plans within a regional framework
Identified Issues
High nitrate-nitrogen levels (above the recommended drinking water standard) in a significant percentage (25%) of private wells in the county
Increasing salt levels (concentrations) in municipal wells
Organic chemical detections in some water supply wells near abandoned landfills and underground storage tanks
A general lack of information on, and monitoring of, the possible effects of emerging pollutants (e.g., pharmaceuticals, personal care products, endocrine disrupters)
Lack of rigorous enforcement in regulating land disposal of septage
Reductions in ground and surface water levels due to high-capacity well water withdrawals
