Drinking Water & Groundwater

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Groundwater Publications

The following is an alphabetical listing of DNR publications relating to groundwater. They are available either as web viewable documents and/or Adobe Acrobat PDF Documents.

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Paper copies of many of these documents can be obtained by contacting the Bureau of Drinking Water and Groundwater at (608) 266-0821

Answers to Your Questions about Groundwater - 1.38 MB Adobe Acrobat PDF Document
Some common questions and answers concerning groundwater.

Arsenic in Drinking Water - 703 KB Adobe Acrobat PDF Document
This brochure provides answers to Wisconsin residents regarding a number of basic questions covering the occurrence, health effects, testing, and removal of arsenic in drinking water.  It also provides contact phone numbers for additional information from the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services, Wisconsin Department of Commerce, and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Assigning and Verifying Wisconsin Unique Well Numbers - 299 KB Adobe Acrobat PDF Document
A brochure directed at state, county, and local officials to promote the use and benefits of the Wisconsin Unique Well Number for wells in Wisconsin.

Better Homes and Groundwater - 1.8 MB Adobe Acrobat PDF Document
A booklet describing actions that the individual can implement and practice to protect, conserve, and replenish groundwater.  Topics include yard care, raingardens, household cleansers, wise water use, water conserving fixtures, water supply protection, and safe disposal practices.

Chapter NR 140 - Wisconsin's Groundwater Quality Standards - exit DNR, Adobe Acrobat PDF Document
This is the unofficial text, of Chapter NR 140, posted on the Wisconsin State Legislature's web site, by the Revisor of Statutes Bureau.

Determining Wellhead Protection Area Boundaries- An Introduction - 3.26 MB Adobe Acrobat PDF Document
This document discusses the basic methods of wellhead protection area delineation.  The document also discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each method.

Directory of Groundwater Databases - 121 KB Adobe Acrobat PDF Document
This document from the Wisconsin Groundwater Coordinating Council provides a listing of groundwater related information maintained in computerized and non-computerized databases. The document focuses on Wisconsin's state agencies, federal agencies, and University Extension databases. State, federal, and local government staff, and university researchers are the target audience, although others interested in locating groundwater related data will find it useful.

General Groundwater Papers (not DNR produced)
Five papers covering topics of basic groundwater information, groundwater contamination, costs for groundwater contamination, and best management practices for groundwater protection.
Available as Adobe Acrobat PDF Documents Groundwater and Its Role in Comprehensive Planning - 679 KB Adobe Acrobat PDF Document
A factsheet developed for city planners to design and plan smart growth groundwater protection strategies.

Groundwater Sampling Desk Reference Part 1 - 1 MB Adobe Acrobat PDF Document
Developed by the Wisconsin DNR to assist in collecting data that represents in-situ, unaltered groundwater conditions. Emphasizes data objectives, sampling plans, pre-sampling preparations, following purging, sampling and quality assurance procedures, and documentation.

Groundwater Sampling Desk Reference Part 2 - 1.3 MB Adobe Acrobat PDF Document
Developed by the Wisconsin DNR to assist in collecting data that represents in-situ, unaltered groundwater conditions. Emphasizes data objectives, sampling plans, pre-sampling preparations, following purging, sampling and quality assurance procedures, and documentation.

Groundwater Sampling Field Manual - 743 KB Adobe Acrobat PDF Document
Developed by the Wisconsin DNR to provide an easy-to-use, WDNR-recommended procedures for collecting quality, representative groundwater samples and measurements.  Provides groundwater sampling procedures for both monitoring wells and drinking water supply wells.

Guide to Conducting Potential Contaminant Source Inventories for Wellhead Protection - 207 KB Adobe Acrobat PDF Document
This document discusses the process of conducting a potential contaminant source inventory in detail.  The document provides useful examples and additional sources of information.

Nitrate in Groundwater- A Continuing Issue for Wisconsin Citizens - 74 KB Adobe Acrobat PDF Document
Nitrate is the most widespread groundwater contaminant in Wisconsin.  This paper, written as part of the Nonpoint Source Pollution Abatement Program redesign, looks at the extent, causes and trends of nitrate pollution of Wisconsin groundwater.

Recommended Minimum Elements for Groundwater Databases - 98 KB Adobe Acrobat PDF Document
This document, done through the Wisconsin Groundwater Coordinating Council, is intended to provide a listing of "minimum data elements" that should be collected when collecting well and groundwater sample related information. The data elements listed have been determined to be a minimum amount of necessary information to make well and sample collection useful to others in the future. Our intent is to provide a listing of data elements covering the minimum information that must be collected; not to provide an all-inclusive listing of what we would like to see collected. Use this information in developing a core set of elements for any sampling program or computerized database.

Residential Development and Groundwater Resources - 436 KB Adobe Acrobat PDF Document
A factsheet developed for city planners to design and plan smart growth groundwater protection strategies.

Resources to Help you Protect Your Drinking Water Supply - 198 KB Adobe Acrobat PDF Document
A factsheet developed for city planners to design and plan smart growth groundwater protection strategies.

State of Wisconsin Wellhead Protection Program Plan for Public Water Supplies - 78 KB Adobe Acrobat PDF Document
This 1993 document contains a discussion of how each of the eight elements of a state wellhead protection program plan - specification of duties of state and local agencies, inventory of all public water supply wellheads, delineation of wellhead protection areas(WHPAs), listing and inventorying of potential contaminant sources within WHPAs, management approaches, contingency plans, protection of new wells and public participation - will be addressed.  The program plan discusses regulatory and non-regulatory management tools available to local governments.

Status of Groundwater Quantity in Wisconsin - 2.1 MB Adobe Acrobat PDF Document
The report discusses groundwater quantity problems caused by both natural conditions and human activity, summarizes information on groundwater quantity and data, discusses management of groundwater quantity, and provides options for addressing groundwater quantity issues

A Template for Preparing Wellhead Protection Plans for Municipal Wells - 488 KB Adobe Acrobat PDF Document
The purpose of this document is to provide direction on preparation of a wellhead protection (WHP) plan to proactively protect a community's water supply.  It describes the level of detail required to address each of the nine components of a required WHP plan for new wells.  It also provides example language for each step and detailed examples for determining groundwater flow direction, zone of influence, recharge area, and wellhead protection area.  Example potential contamination source documentation and wellhead protection ordinances are provided along with a list of wellhead protection contacts, tools, and a bibliography of publications and related materials.

Well Filling and Sealing Brochure - 746 KB Adobe Acrobat PDF Document
Updated Well Filling and Sealing Brochure (PUB DG 016 2004). This replaces the 2001 revision and includes the information in "Table C" (Acceptable Materials & Methods for Well Filling and Sealing).

Wisconsin Groundwater Coordinating Council - Report to the Legislature 2007
The Wisconsin DNR is responsible for coordinating and developing this annual interagency document that summarizes the operations and activities of the council..., describes the state of the groundwater resources and its management and sets forth the recommendations of the council. The annual report includes a description of the current groundwater quality of the state, an assessment of groundwater management programs, information on the implementations of ch. 160, Wis. Stats., and a list and description of current and anticipated groundwater problems.

Wisconsin Groundwater Coordinating Council - Report to the Legislature 2006
Description is the same as above publication.

Wisconsin Groundwater Standards - 66 KB Adobe Acrobat PDF Document
An explanation of chapter 160, Wis. Stats., the public health related groundwater standards (Table 1), and the public welfare related groundwater standards (Table 2). (Revised January 1999)

Wisconsin Natural Resources Magazine - Groundwater: Wisconsin's Buried Treasure
"Groundwater: Protecting Wisconsin’s Buried Treasure" was first published in 1983 to educate citizens about the resource we use every day but can’t see. In 2006, "Groundwater: Wisconsin’s Buried Treasure" highlighted the actions state agencies and individuals were taking to safeguard groundwater. This revised edition of "Groundwater: Wisconsin’s Buried Treasure" will introduce new protection programs, and remind us all that as Wisconsin citizens, we hold the ultimate responsibility for guarding our valuable groundwater resource. It is available as a webpage.

Last Revised: Wednesday September 05 2007