Purpose:
The Barrington Area Council of Governments formed the Water Resources Initiative in 2001 to evaluate regional water resources. The purpose of this project is to define the quantity, quality, vulnerability, and sustainability of the water supply. Such information will continue to inform planning and development decisions in the BACOG communities.
Nearly 100% of all residents in BACOG rely on municipal or private wells
Study Area:
BACOG represents over 35,000 residents and cover approximately 90 square miles of land. The BACOG Water Resource Initiative (WRI) study area covers a 600 square mile area 35 miles northwest of the metropolitan Chicago area. BACOG studies the Shallow Aquifer System which is less than 500 feet deep in this area. It is critical to our understanding of water resources because most residential and municipal wells in the immediate BACOG area draw from the Shallow Aquifer System.
The 600 Square mile study area is shown in light green. The BACOG footprint is shown in dark green.
Environmental Factors & Stressors:
There has been a marked increase in high-density development in the past few decades both within and particularly around the BACOG area. These increased withdrawls from the shallow aquifer system are competing for groundwater resources.
Groundwater in the Shallow Aquifer System is replenished or “recharged” locally
In the BACOG area, most wells are private with only two of the nine members (Barrington and Tower Lakes) having infrastructure for municipal water supply. Lake Michigan water is not currently economically viable and river water is not an option due to withdrawl restrictions. Deep aquifer water is possibly available, but has issues with quality, is expensive to mine, and lack of infrastructure would make it nearly impossible to distribute this water to many BACOG residents.
BACOG communities also expressed concern about contamination risks from wastewater, chemicals, hazmat spills and even domestic dumping. It is important to understand the areas where water is replenished or “recharged” so that those areas can be protected from contamination.
The BACOG area also has groundwater dependent natural areas such as fens that rely on discharge from the shallow aquifers as a source of water. Animal and plant communities in these areas could be altered by a drop in groundwater level and supply.