Mike Dunning - 15-Jan-2007 - A series of new boreholes
is being drilled across East Devon, Dorset and West Wiltshire
as the Environment Agency improves its monitoring of the
region’s groundwater supplies.
With drier summers and a growing risk of drought related
to climate change, it is increasingly important the Agency
understands any changes in groundwater levels to ensure
there is sufficient groundwater to replenish public water
supplies, private wells and rivers.
Contractors are drilling eight new boreholes during January
and a further seven are planned for February. The aim is
to fill in geographical gaps in the Agency’s existing network
of boreholes across the south west.
Drilling locations include Long Barrow and Knowle Hill
near Weymouth, Tolpuddle, Downton, Woolverton and Rudge
near Frome and Wingfield near Trowbridge.
The boreholes will be used over a period of many years
to measure the depth to water lying underground within the
rock. Using this information, the Environment Agency is
able to identify any potential long-term trends in groundwater
level, and so is then equipped to regulate strategic decisions
on water resources planning.
The improvements are part of a national project known as
the Groundwater Level Network. There are currently around
350 boreholes across the southwest region used to monitor
groundwater levels. These latest boreholes will be between
20 and 80 metres in depth and will be the last in a project
that has been running since 2003.
‘The addition of these new boreholes will increase our
understanding of local groundwater conditions and help us
manage water resources more effectively. We would like to
thank all the landowners who have helped the Agency by allowing
drilling to be carried out on their land,’ said Ralph Lynch
for the Environment Agency.
The upper limit of groundwater is called the ‘water table’.
The level of the water table varies with the seasons. In
winter, groundwater rises, often by many metres as rainwater
percolates through the rock. In summer, the water table
recedes downwards due to less rainfall and water being taken
up by tree roots. Groundwater also feeds into rivers and
streams maintaining their flow.
The Environment Agency also carries out extensive work
in monitoring the quality of groundwater, and work in prevention
of this precious resource.
