Shutesbury Aquifer Resiliency in the Face of Climate Change

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dc.contributorTuttle, Sam
dc.contributorFarnham, Tim
dc.contributor.advisorWerner, Al
dc.contributor.authorBoard, Cara
dc.date.accessioned2019-05-13T13:09:16Z
dc.date.available2019-05-13T13:09:16Z
dc.date.gradyear2019en_US
dc.date.issued2019-05-13
dc.description.abstractThe climate is rapidly changing due to human activity, and these changes will impact our water resources. In the town of Shutesbury, Massachusetts, a municipal water supply does not exist. Instead, water comes from private wells that tap into a vast and complex bedrock groundwater system. Prior to this study, little information existed regarding the seasonal fluctuations, the sensitivity of the aquifer to short or prolonged drought, or the ability of the aquifer system to support future development in Shutesbury. Still less was known regarding how the aquifer system could potentially be impacted by climate change. Reports of lowering water levels in New Hampshire and the neighboring town of Pelham were a cause for concern. In 2014, eight monitoring wells were drilled at four locations in order to monitor seasonal changes in water level and to establish a baseline for future levels. Water levels were found to fluctuate seasonally, and despite a snow-heavy winter and summer drought, spring static water levels returned to similar levels each year. Based on the small amplitude of seasonal fluctuations, the lack of a lasting impact of the drought of 2016, and expected future increases in rainfall, it appears that the shared aquifer should continue to serve as a viable source for the town.en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipGeologyen_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10166/5680
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.rights.restrictedpublicen_US
dc.subjectgroundwateren_US
dc.subjectNew Englanden_US
dc.subjectclimate changeen_US
dc.subjectaquiferen_US
dc.titleShutesbury Aquifer Resiliency in the Face of Climate Changeen_US
dc.typeThesis
mhc.degreeUndergraduateen_US
mhc.institutionMount Holyoke College

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