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The Eastern Shore of Virginia depends entirely on ground water for drinking water supplies, as well as most other supplies such as irrigation water. The salt water that surrounds us causes our water to become brackish at relatively shallow depths (350 feet) in most areas. On the necks, it becomes brackish at even shallower depths. The total available ground water supply is limited to the amount of fresh water recharging the aquifers from precipitation directly falling on the Shore. Fresh water floats on top of salt water as it is less dense. This causes a lens-shaped bubble of fresh water that lies in our aquifer. The size of the bubble is dictated in part by how much rain makes it into the aquifer (recharge) and the amount of water lost through pumping and flow to the ocean and bay. The water yielding units are divided into the unconfined Columbia aquifer (water table aquifer), and a series of confined aquifers and intervening semi-confining units. Our drinking water comes from confined aquifers known as the upper, middle, and lower Yorktown-Eastover aquifers. The Columbia has more abundant fresh water but it is the most susceptible to contamination and for this reason isn't used as a major source of drinking water. The confining units separating the aquifers are leaky, and there is ground water flow through these layers into the Yorktown-Eastover aquifers. |
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Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission Phone 757-787-2936 or toll-free 866-787-3001 Fax 757-787-4221 email anpdc@a-npdc.org 23372 Front Street, PO Box 417, Accomac, VA, 23301 |
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