aquifer management case study--the Chalk of the English South Downs

• Published in: Water resources management Vol. 13; no. 3; pp. 205 - 218
• Main Authors: Robins, N.S, Jones, H.K, Ellis, J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer 01-06-1999; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agricultural management; Aquifer management; Aquifers; Boreholes; Calcium carbonate; Coastal environments; Degradation; Discharge; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Exact sciences and technology; Fresh water; Groundwater; groundwater contamination; groundwater extraction; Hydrology. Hydrogeology; Leakage; Management; Monitoring; Pollution; Pollution prevention; Pollution, environment geology; Population density; prevention; Resources; Saline intrusion; saltwater intrusion; south east england; Storage; Urbanization; water management; Water quality; Water resources; England; United Kingdom; Great Britain; Western Europe; carbonate rocks; Europe; salt-water intrusion; ground water; ground-water recharge; monitoring; urbanization; pumping; sedimentary rocks; boreholes; water storage; aquifers; water quality; chalk; water resource management; strategy; policy
• ISSN: 0920-4741; 1573-1650
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1008101727356

The Chalk aquifer of the English South Downs is very heavily utilised. The groundwater resources have enjoyed a formal programme of management which started in the 1950s, although a number of actions had been taken earlier in order to deal with saline intrusion and potential risk to groundwater quality from urbanisation. In the late 1950s the policy of leakage/storage' boreholes was first adopted, whereby the 'leakage' boreholes along the coast were pumped in winter to intercept fresh water discharge to the sea and to maximise the recharge potential inland, and inland 'storage' boreholes were used, as much as possible, in the summer months only. A comprehensive monitoring programme supported by aquifer modelling has enabled a gradual increase in overall abstraction to take place without increasing groundwater degradation due to saline intrusion. There have been various pollution prevention strategies over the years, and these have been effective in protecting the groundwater despite the high population density and widespread agricultural activity within the South Downs. The management of the aquifer has clearly been successful; there are many lessons from this experience that can be applied to other regions and other aquifers.