ARM Presents at 2015 Maryland Groundwater Symposium

ARM Group’s Ryan Brandon offered insight on high-volume groundwater supply sources in thrust faulted terranes during a presentation last week at the 24 ^th Annual Maryland Groundwater Symposium.

The presentation included an overview of the thrust faulting in central and western Maryland and illustrates key factors that may be used to determine the presence of high volume thrust faulted aquifers in a particular area. Case histories of several recent groundwater exploration and development projects in thrust faulted terranes were discussed.

The geology of the Piedmont Plateau, Blue Ridge, and Ridge and Valley Provinces is characterized by ubiquitous thrust faulting causing significant deformation and complexity in the bedrock aquifers in areas west of the Fall Line in Maryland. The nature and extent of the thrust faults provides opportunities for zones of high porosity and permeability to develop along regional strike in fracture-prone bedrock. Aquifers in thrust faulted bedrock that underlie large watershed areas can source significant volumes of water to potential downgradient water supply wells. As such, thrust faulted areas can provide unique prospects for development of high-volume water supply wells for municipal, industrial, commercial, and agricultural uses.