Kewaunee County groundwater research project funded

A Kewaunee County research project is one of six geared toward answering priority questions about Wisconsin's groundwater quality and quantity that will receive funding from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for 2017.

The projects, selected through a joint process conducted by DNR and the University of Wisconsin Water Resources Institute, cover projects ranging from an early detection method for groundwater contamination to a new test that uses viruses to identify sources of waste in groundwater. The projects are being conducted under the auspices of the Groundwater Coordinating Council, which was created by the Legislature in 1983 to maximize the effectiveness of research efforts among various levels of government and the university.

The Kewaunee County research project conducted by UW-Oshkosh scientists seeks to predict the timing and determine the sources as well as remedies for drinking water well contamination. The research will cover both pathogens and nitrate and will involve development of an automated well sampling method.

"Ninety-five percent of Wisconsin's 11,470 public water systems rely on groundwater, so protecting groundwater quality and quantity is critical for public health, the economy and environment," said Steve Ales, deputy director for DNR's Bureau of Drinking Water and Groundwater. "The joint research conducted through the Groundwater Coordinating Council avoids duplication of effort while providing answers to critical questions about our groundwater resource."

The 2017 joint research program, which also includes review by public and private sector scientists and potential information users, includes six projects funded by DNR and three through the Water Resources Institute.

Of the DNR-funded projects, two address both pathogens and nitrate; two address groundwater quantity; one addresses pathogens individually; and one addresses nitrate individually. First-year costs for the research total $300,986.

For more information, visit DNR.wi.gov and search "Groundwater Coordinating Council."

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Kewaunee County groundwater research project funded