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Geologic study of Boone County slated to begin soon
Like most of us, I wake up every morning and seek out the coffee pot. That first cup gets the day started and provides me with a great lead into the topic of water for this article.
All of us depend on water. Boone County residents (rural and in town) are completely dependent on groundwater; often referred to as well water. Groundwater is a natural resource that all of us use and consume every day. Because other sources of water are not available to us it is becoming increasingly important to gain a better understanding of this essential water supply.
To accomplish this, Boone County has contracted with the Illinois State Geologic Survey to complete a new study that will significantly improve our understanding of the local geology. The importance of this study ties right back to that first cup of coffee we drink every day! What we know and understand about our local water supply is pretty basic – even those of us who have knowledge on the topic are limited to the few studies that have been done for this area.
This new mapping project will provide detailed information about the local geology and the system of aquifers that provide our precious water supply.
New technology is providing us with the opportunity to gain a whole new level of understanding about the local geology. The new tool can peer into the ground about 1,000 feet using electromagnetic signals. The returned signals are precisely located and recorded.
A team of geologists and other scientists will process the signals collected with software that converts it into a very detailed picture, profiling the different layers of sediment, rock and geologic structure being observed. The process involves a helicopter carrying a geophysical tool below it (see figures 1 & 2 below). The pilot flies nearly overlapping passes across most of the county collecting a swath of detailed data with each pass.
Scientists will analyze and process the information gathered, calibrate that data with cores taken from drilled wells and other sources of geologic information to create a very accurate picture of the strata below the ground.
It is like taking an MRI of the earth with each pass across the county being combined to the previous passes forming a nearly seamless perspective of the subsurface layers. This is how the 3-dimensional view is created. The ISGS team of scientists hopes to begin data collection flights in late February or early March 2025.
I will be providing more information about this project leading up to the start of these flights. The product of this process will be an exciting new set of tools, including very detailed 3-dimensional maps of the local geology. The applications and use of these interactive tools will, among other features, provide our community with a powerful new perspective about where the water for that first cup of morning joe comes from.
