Groundwater in the Great Lakes Basin

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APPENDIX G Threats to Groundwater Quality in the Great Lakes Basin — Abandoned Wells CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 96 SAFETY HAZARDS 96 CONTAMINATION DANGERS 97 HEALTH HAZARDS 99 CONTAMINANT SOURCES 100 NUMBERS OF ABANDONED AND FUNCTIONAL WELLS 100 WELL CLOSURE AND DECOMMISSIONING 102 RECOMMENDED ACTION 103 REFERENCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY 104 GLOSSARY 107 95
INTRODUCTION An abandoned well is defined as a well that is no longer in use, is not intended for future use, has not properly been decommissioned or is in a state of extreme disrepair (Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), 1998; Lowey, 2004; AgrGC, 2003). Best estimates indicate the number of household wells varies considerably around the Great Lakes with fewer than five wells per square mile in Ontario to more than 20 per square mile in Michigan and Pennsylvania (see Figure 1). Abandoned wells in the Great Lakes Basin range from shallow, small-diameter geotechnical bore-holes to oil and gas exploration and production wells thousands of metres deep. Some of the largest abandoned wells are the Atlas F intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) silos, approximately 174 feet deep and 54 feet wide (Figure 2). One such abandoned ICBM silo cluster is located near Plattsburgh, New York, and contains 12 missile silos (Strategic Air Command, no date). Figure 1. Individual household well density per rural square mile Source: McCray, 2007. Extrapolated from U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1990 and 2000 rural square miles; Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Statistics Canada data. SAFETY HAZARDS Abandoned wells can be extremely dangerous, posing various health, safety and environmental hazards. Large-diameter abandoned water wells are frequently covered with ill-fitting and poorly maintained wooden covers (Figure 3). Every year, people (mostly children) and animals (both wild and domestic) tumble into abandoned wells, resulting in injuries and frequently ending in fatalities (Michigan DEQ, 2005; Glanville, 1994). The dangers associated with abandoned wells are constantly portrayed to society. From an episode of the animated show The Simpsons, where Bart falls down an abandoned well, to the ever-famous Lassie expression “What’s wrong girl? Timmy’s in the well?” the notion of abandoned wells has been in the media for generations. Well accidents are much more common than most people realize. Only the most extreme cases are extensively publicized. Examples include the following: • In Midland, Texas, in 1987, at the age of 18 months, Baby Jessica fell into a well. Her famous story was subsequently made into a movie (Celizic, 2007; Misra, 2006). • In Chicago, January 1991, a 10-year-old girl fell into an unsecured well located a mere 60 feet from a playground. Despite rescue efforts the young girl died (King, 1994). • In Midland, Michigan, December 1998, a fouryear-old girl fell into an abandoned well through a rotting cover (Michigan DEQ, 2002a). Figure 2. 96 Construction of Atlas F missile silo at Plattsburgh, New York, July 18, 1961 Source: SiloWorld, n.d. Figure 3. Improperly covered well Source: Jones, 2006
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AReportoftheGreatLakesScienceAdviso
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Citation: Great Lakes Science Advis
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Commissioners’ Preface The Great
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2 required to monitor basin groundw
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4 Systems have a 30-year lifespan d
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6 Groundwater quality is routinely
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8 Transmittal Letter Groundwater/An
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10 Acknowledgements, Activities and
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APPENDICES Appendices A through L p
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INTRODUCTION Groundwater, a major n
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16 DESCRIPTION OF NATURAL SYSTEMS M
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that are not substantially affected
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Estimates of the Level and Extent o
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APPENDIX B Threats to Groundwater Q
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24 PATHOGENS Bacteria, viruses and
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Viruses Viral pathogens continue to
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SPECIFIC EPISODES Walkerton In 2000
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30 season. The sampling sites inclu
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32 Curriero, F.C., Patz, J.A., Rose
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Infection of a suitable host specie
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APPENDIX C Threats to Groundwater Q
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Road salt has significant toxic eff
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converted to nitrite in the human s
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Atrazine Atrazine is an extensively
Page 52 and 53: Wisconsin DNR keeps track of about
Page 54 and 55: Table 1. Chemical Contaminants in G
Page 56 and 57: isks for 23 diseases in six contigu
Page 58 and 59: Figure 1. Number* of waterborne-dis
Page 60 and 61: Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Wa
Page 62 and 63: APPENDIX D Threats to Groundwater Q
Page 64 and 65: Figure 1. Source: General Descripti
Page 66 and 67: (Gorman and Halvorsen, 2006). Any s
Page 68 and 69: Table 3. Washtenaw County, Michigan
Page 70 and 71: that the OWTS would last until it w
Page 72 and 73: REFERENCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY Aglie,
Page 74: Septic Tanks - Septic Tank Articles
Page 77 and 78: INTRODUCTION Leaking underground st
Page 79 and 80: sites that were previously closed,
Page 81 and 82: Table 1. USTs in Great Lakes States
Page 83 and 84: Estimation of Costs for Remediation
Page 85 and 86: Table 6. Operational Compliance of
Page 87 and 88: 80 Indiana Government. (2007, Febru
Page 89 and 90: 82 GLOSSARY AST - above ground stor
Page 91 and 92: INTRODUCTION 84 Hazardous wastes ar
Page 93 and 94: The town of Kincardine, Ontario, ha
Page 95 and 96: 88 • The monitoring and surveilla
Page 97 and 98: However, the U.S. EPA has been relu
Page 99 and 100: 92 Johnson, B.L. & DeRosa, C.T. (19
Page 101: PAHs - Polycyclic aromatic hydrocar
Page 105 and 106: Figure 6: Leaking oil well Source:
Page 107 and 108: CONTAMINANT SOURCES 100 During any
Page 109 and 110: Nearly 16 million operational water
Page 111 and 112: • Development of a targeted progr
Page 113 and 114: 106 Michigan Department of Environm
Page 115 and 116: APPENDIX H Threats to Groundwater Q
Page 117 and 118: far reaching. Road salt can inhibit
Page 119 and 120: 112 Desalinization Potential water
Page 121 and 122: Gray, J. (2004, January). Brine Spr
Page 123 and 124: INTRODUCTION 116 In 2003 there were
Page 125 and 126: 118 feed has increased to upwards o
Page 127 and 128: References and Bibliography 120 Arn
Page 129 and 130: APPENDIX J Threats to Groundwater Q
Page 131 and 132: for recreational purposes and destr
Page 133 and 134: 126 errors (human or mechanical), p
Page 135 and 136: Apparent Losses Old meters are like
Page 137 and 138: Figure 6. Examples of Windsor, Onta
Page 139 and 140: REFERENCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY 132 Ada
Page 141 and 142: 134 Levy, S. (2004, November 16). T
Page 143 and 144: APPENDIX K The Châteauguay Transbo
Page 145 and 146: 138 the clay sediments of the St. L
Page 147 and 148: REFERENCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY Bureau
Page 149 and 150: INTRODUCTION 142 Groundwater law ac
Page 151 and 152: 144 • Water withdrawn be returned
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146 found to be failing. Now, with
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Part 373: Third Stage Treatment Lag
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150 Chapter 1501:15 Soil and Water
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152 Title 29 - Water Resources Mana
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APPENDIX M List of Acronyms ADHD -
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Groundwater in the Great Lakes Basin

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