SUSTAINING WATER NEEDS WITHIN KARSTIC HEADWATERS: NOT ROUTINE

Donated and available low cost land, cash and able politicians brought Farmers High School

(1855), renamed Agricultural College of Pennsylvania (1862), Penn State College (1874), then

University (1953) to the headwaters of Spring Creek where springs were limited and well yields

uncertain. Only 5 of 18 campus wells remained in service by 1961. Cold water stream pollution,

cease and desist order and perceived scarcity of water limited University Park enrollment to

25,000 students, now nearly 50,000.

Geologic variables, alone and in various combinations that enhanced well yields within Ridge

and Valley carbonates, were documented, then used to identify 10 potential well fields 9 of

which were drilled, developed and protected to meet growing regional demands. Penn State is

extending its long- term water planning efforts. The master plan will identify potential high

capacity well sites for supply, monitoring, dewatering, pollutant extraction, recharge,

geothermal or other purposes. Fracture traces, trace-intersections and other variables draw

attention to sink prone and unstable foundation conditions that continue to plague the area.

Sources of recharge to sustain future withdrawals include: stormwater diverted from adjacent

groundwater sub basins, existing and future land development projects, recharge from Penn

State's Living Filter project and potable water treatment plant. More intense global warming

sources of precipitation are becoming evident. Together with education, conservation, pricing

and drought mandates, enhanced water imports might be avoided.