EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF GROUNDWATER RESOURCES IN THE PIEDMONT PROVINCE USING SURFACE AND BOREHOLE GEOPHYSICAL METHODS

During the last 20 years, surface and borehole geophysical methods have provided a substantial advantage in the exploration and development of groundwater resources throughout the Appalachian Basin, particularly in the Piedmont Province. When coupled with detailed hydrogeological analyses, these geophysical methods can minimize preliminary test well drilling, provide new information for aquifer characterization, and allow for optimal placement and design of production wells. Examples from commercial projects shown in this presentation illustrate how geophysical tools provide key information towards the successful exploration and development of groundwater supplies.

The Piedmont Province generally has complex structural and stratigraphic bedrock features that offer significant challenges to those who would want to understand and utilize aquifers for various water resource requirements including: municipal and private water supplies, commercial, industrial, and agricultural uses, and high volume irrigation requirements. This presentation summarizes the nature of the aquifers in the Piedmont Province and illustrates how two-dimensional earth resistivity profiling and borehole logging methods (including conventional logging tools, high-resolution optical/acoustic televiewers and heat pulse flowmeter) are used to characterize subsurface conditions and highlight areas that have a high likelihood of providing large volumes of groundwater. Case histories of several recent groundwater exploration and development projects will be discussed.