Groundwater in the Great Lakes Basin

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GLOSSARY
Abandoned Well – A well which (1) has its use
permanently discontinued, (2) is in such disrepair that
its continued use for the purpose of obtaining groundwater
is impractical, (3) has been left uncompleted, (4)
is a threat to groundwater resources and (5) is or may
be a health or safety hazard (Michigan DEQ, 2005).
Aquifer – An underground formation of permeable rock
or loose material which can produce useful quantities
of water when tapped by a well.
Aquitard – An underground formation of low permeable
material that restricts the flow of water between
aquifers.
Borehole – A narrow hole drilled into the ground. Used
in exploration for oil, gas, water etc. or to determine the
structure and makeup of the area. Also used to extract
goods from the earth including water, oil and gas.
Brine – Water saturated or nearly saturated with salt.
Brine Well – A well used for injecting fresh water
into geologic formations comprised mainly of salt. The
injected freshwater dissolves the salt and is pumped
back to the surface as a saturated sodium chloride brine
solution used as a feedstock in petrochemical refineries
and in oil and gas well drilling and workover operations.
E. coli (Escherichia coli) – A gut flora bacterium discovered
in 1885 which lives in the lower intestines of mammals.
Geotechnical Test Hole – Generally a narrow hole
drilled into the earth to obtain a sample to be used for
engineering purposes. Utilized to acquire an understanding
of the geological materials, foundation, structure
and properties of the test area.
ICBM silo – An underground vertical cylindrical container
to house an intercontinental ballistic missile. These longrange
missiles were designed for nuclear weapons.
Methemoglobinemia – A condition where the iron in
the hemoglobin molecule is defective, making it unable
to carry oxygen effectively to the tissues. May be inherited
or acquired.
Sinkhole – A depression in surface topography due to
the dissolution of underlying material. They can range
in size from less then a meter to hundreds of meters.
Temporarily Abandoned Well – Is not in use, but is
intended by the owner to be a source of groundwater.
Well casing must be securely sealed with a threaded,
welded or solvent-welded cap to prevent access into
the well and eliminate openings into the well. The well
also must comply with isolation distance and construction
requirements (Michigan DEQ, 2005).
Private Wells – Any well not used to support a
municipal water supply.
Well – Any hole made in the ground to locate or obtain
groundwater (ECO, 2006).
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