Water from the local aquifers is the lifeblood of the Barrington area. Residents are dependent on local natural resources to supply all their water needs. Any threat to the quantity or quality of water in the aquifers-through overuse of wells or contamination from septic systems or high intensity uses-would threaten the public health, safety and welfare and our community structure. Knowing this raises many questions. How much water do we have? How deep are the shallow aquifers in the region? What is the economic value of our water resources?
The Barrington Area Council of Governments created a “Water Resources Initiative and Committee” (WRI) to answer these questions and to analyze the relationship of development to water resources. WRI will the study ground water of the Barrington region. The goal of WRI is to develop the technical data and community resources needed to support the linkage between land use and natural resources that has been the basis for planning for the past 30 years. It has become increasingly important to inventory, document, analyze and articulate the capacity of the region’s water supply. BACOG continues to analyze newly available data, create resources for officials and staff to better understand groundwater resources, and is beginning to bring research findings to the public.
BACOG Research Overview:
BACOG Study of the Groundwater Resources in the Shallow Aquifer System
Water Resources Initiative Background: Learn more about why the BACOG water resources initiative was formed, the geographic area that it covers, and key information about groundwater in the Barrington Area.
Program Components: Discover the major accomplishments and future directions of the program.
Publications: Read reports and articles describing the methods used in the groundwater program written by Dr. Kurt Thomsen, Janet Agnoletti, and Connie Pokorny.
Committee and Volunteers: View a list of BACOG members, staff, committee members, advisors, and volunteers that have been the driving forces behind this program.
