Communities that rely on surface water resources via sand and gravel wells are vulnerable to the impacts of drought on water supplies. In 2020, much of New England experienced an extreme drought due to lack of sufficient precipitation from May through September, which resulted in water restrictions across Connecticut, Maine, and Rhode Island.1 Communities that have both bedrock wells and sand and gravel wells are more resilient during drought because they are able to switch between surface water and groundwater resources as needed in order to mitigate water resource limitations. However, switching between water supply sources comes with its own share of issues that need to be considered.

This course provides an in-depth look at how municipalities have mitigated water shortages by balancing the use of bedrock wells and sand and gravel wells. It delves into the potential issues that must be considered when having to switch between groundwater and surface water supplies, including pH, precipitation, and other issues. This course is designed for those involved with well infrastructure, planning and policy decision making, but will be of interest to a wide array of stakeholders.

Course Objectives

Students are expected to learn the following when they take this course:

• Differences between types of aquifers and well types and why each is used
• When and how to use overburden and bedrock wells to manage water resources
• What to look for in order to understand the dynamics of overburden and bedrock wells