MONROE - In the middle of severe drought, the city's water supply is sound - at least for now, according to Mike Kennison, the water utility supervisor.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources announced Tuesday, July 17 that there have been numerous reports of private wells going dry, and some municipalities are placing restrictions on water use, but as of yet no reports of municipal wells going dry.
Kennison said the static water levels are dropping in some communities that have enacted water bans because their wells don't have enough time to recharge. The bans are in place to protect the static water levels, he said.
"Ours is virtually unchanged," he said Tuesday at the city council meeting. "Our water level is intact, at least at this time."
Water usage in the city has been about 2.4 million gallons per day for the past three or four weeks, Kennison said. The normal daily usage ranges between 1.4 and 2.5 million.
Kennison noted that private wells are not very deep and often end in limestone layers, which make recharging difficult and cause the wells to go dry.
The city wells are between 1,200 and 1,700 feet deep, with water levels at about 200 to 250 feet deep. At these depths, the wells bypass the limestone layers and extend into sandstone, which allow water to flow back in more easily.
Still, Kennison urged residents to "use water sparingly and wisely," to lessen the burden on the wells.
"Always conserve water," he said. "It's a precious commodity and our greatest natural resource."
He recommends not watering lawns and gardens in the heat of the day, waiting until late evening or early morning up until 10 or 11 a.m. to minimize evaporation.
"The severe drought is definitely taking a toll on private wells," said Steve Ales, who leads the private water section for the Department of Natural Resources, in a statement Friday, July 13. "We've had reports of wells drying up in many of the counties in southern and southeast Wisconsin. There are probably others out there, particularly in parts of the state where sand-point wells are common."
Ales said the solution for some private well owners has been to lower the pumps if the well is deep enough. In some cases, the well has had to be drilled deeper.
"Well-owners who have a problem should call a well driller or pump installer to help them," he said. A list of well drillers and pump installers can be found on the DNR website.
The lack of rain is lowering water levels on streams and rivers, making navigation more difficult and increasing the number of fish kills. The hot temperatures and low water levels are increasing the risk of blue-green algae outbreaks and concentrating waterfowl in areas that have been known to have outbreaks of botulism.
DNR officials are receiving and reviewing applications for emergency permits to pump water for crop irrigation from lakes and rivers and approving permits where the withdrawal will not hurt fisheries or other aquatic life, or other users of the waterway.
The Department of Natural Resources has launched a new Web page intended to help the public find drought-related DNR information and assistance. People can go to dnr.wi.gov and search for the keyword "drought."
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources announced Tuesday, July 17 that there have been numerous reports of private wells going dry, and some municipalities are placing restrictions on water use, but as of yet no reports of municipal wells going dry.
Kennison said the static water levels are dropping in some communities that have enacted water bans because their wells don't have enough time to recharge. The bans are in place to protect the static water levels, he said.
"Ours is virtually unchanged," he said Tuesday at the city council meeting. "Our water level is intact, at least at this time."
Water usage in the city has been about 2.4 million gallons per day for the past three or four weeks, Kennison said. The normal daily usage ranges between 1.4 and 2.5 million.
Kennison noted that private wells are not very deep and often end in limestone layers, which make recharging difficult and cause the wells to go dry.
The city wells are between 1,200 and 1,700 feet deep, with water levels at about 200 to 250 feet deep. At these depths, the wells bypass the limestone layers and extend into sandstone, which allow water to flow back in more easily.
Still, Kennison urged residents to "use water sparingly and wisely," to lessen the burden on the wells.
"Always conserve water," he said. "It's a precious commodity and our greatest natural resource."
He recommends not watering lawns and gardens in the heat of the day, waiting until late evening or early morning up until 10 or 11 a.m. to minimize evaporation.
"The severe drought is definitely taking a toll on private wells," said Steve Ales, who leads the private water section for the Department of Natural Resources, in a statement Friday, July 13. "We've had reports of wells drying up in many of the counties in southern and southeast Wisconsin. There are probably others out there, particularly in parts of the state where sand-point wells are common."
Ales said the solution for some private well owners has been to lower the pumps if the well is deep enough. In some cases, the well has had to be drilled deeper.
"Well-owners who have a problem should call a well driller or pump installer to help them," he said. A list of well drillers and pump installers can be found on the DNR website.
The lack of rain is lowering water levels on streams and rivers, making navigation more difficult and increasing the number of fish kills. The hot temperatures and low water levels are increasing the risk of blue-green algae outbreaks and concentrating waterfowl in areas that have been known to have outbreaks of botulism.
DNR officials are receiving and reviewing applications for emergency permits to pump water for crop irrigation from lakes and rivers and approving permits where the withdrawal will not hurt fisheries or other aquatic life, or other users of the waterway.
The Department of Natural Resources has launched a new Web page intended to help the public find drought-related DNR information and assistance. People can go to dnr.wi.gov and search for the keyword "drought."