Ground Water in the Norwalk, Suffield, and Glastonbury Areas, Connecticut

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR John Barton Payne, Secretary United States Geological Survey George Otis Smith, Director WATER-SUPPLY Paper 470 GROUND WATER IN THE NORWALK, SUFFIELD, AND GLASTONBURY AREAS CONNECTICUT BY HAROLD S. PALMER Prepared in cooperation with the CONNECTICUT GEOLOGICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY Herbert E. Gregory, Superintendent WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1920 Qass. Book. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from The Library of Congress http://www.archive.org/details/groundwaterinnorOOpalm n^ DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR John Barton Paynk, Secretary United States Geological Survey ' George Otis Smith, Director Water-Supply Paper 470 GROUND WATER IN THE NORWALK, SUFFIELD, AND GLASTONRURY AREAS CONNECTICUT BY HAROLD S. PALMER Prepared in cooperatioB wifh the CONNECTICUT GEOLOGICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY Herbert K. Gregory, Superintendent WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1920 i LIBRARY OF CONGRESS I JAN261921 i DOCUMENTis UiVlSlOM '1" CONTENTS. Pagrc Introduction 7 Problems ivlating- to water supplies in Connoctient . 7 Water-supply investij?ations S Sourci' and charaotev of data '•) Geography : :i_ 30 Topography 10 Xorwalk area lo Suffield area 10 (Hastonbury ai'ea 10 Climate 11 Surface waters 12 Woodlands IT) Population __„ 10 Geologic history 17 Water-bearing formations lo Glacial drift 2o Till 20 Stratified drift 22 Criteria for differentiation of till and stratified drift 24 Occurrence and ciiTulation of ground water 24 Triassic sedimentary rocks 27 Distribution 27 Lithology and stratigraphy 27 Occurrence of ground water 2s Water in pores 2s Water in bedding planes 2S Water in joints 20 Water in fault zones 2!) Trap rocks 20 Distribution 29 Lithology and occui'rence of ground water 20 Crystalline rocks 30 Distribution ^ 3(» Lithology V><) Schists 30 Gneisses of igneous origin 30 Gneisses' of complex origin 31 Occurrence and circulation of ground water 31 Water in lamellar spaces 31 "Water in joints and along faults 31 Limestone 32 Distribution 32 Lithology and stratigraphy 32 Occurrence of groiuid watei- 32 4 CONTEXTS. Page. Artesian (■(Hiditioiis 32 Springs 3-1 Seepage springs 34 Stratum springs ; 34 Fault and joint springs . 34 Relation of wells to springs 34 Recoverj" of ground water 35 Dug ^vells . 35 Construction 35 Lifting devices 35 Bailing devices 35 Pumps 1 36 Siphon and gravity rigs 39 Rams 39 Windmills and air-pressure tanks 40 Yields of dug wells 41 Infiltration galleries 43 Driven wells , : : 43 Drilled wells 44 Springs 46 Ground water for public supplj' 47 Introduction _i 47 Typical plants 50 Greenfield, Mass 50 Hyde Park, Mass 50 Lowell, Mass 50 Xewburyport, Mass 52 Newton, Mass 52 Plainville, Conn : 52 Quality of ground water 52 Analyses and assays . 52 Probable accuracy of analyses and assays 55 Chemical character of water ^ S'l Interpretation of analyses and assays 57 Contamination 60 Tabulations 62 ■ Temperature of ground water ^ Detailed descriptions of towns 66 Darien 66 New Canaan 74 Norwalk 83 Ridgefield 94 Weston 104 Westport 109 Wilton 117 East Granby 124 Enfield 131 Sufl;ield 139 Windsor Locks 148 Glastonbury ^ 152 Marlboro 161 Index 167 ILLUSTRATIONS. Page. Plate I. Map of Connecticnt sli<)\\ius pbysioj^raphic divisions and areas eoveri'd by wator-supply papers of the I'liited States Geo- logical Survey S II. Topographic map of the Norwalk area showing distribution of woodlands and locations of wells and springs cited In pocket. III. Geologic map of the Norwalk area In pocket. IV. Topographic map of the Sullield area showing distribution of woodlands and locations of wells and springs cited In pocket. V. Geologic mai) of the SulHeld area In pctcket. VI. Topographic map of the Glastonbury area showing dislribution of woixllarids and locations of wells and springs cited In pocket. VII. Geologic map of the Glastonbury area In pocket. VIII. A, Estuary in Darien, Conn.; B, Section of sti'atiiietl drift, Darien, Conn 66 IX. A, Plant of the Tokeneke Water Co., Darien. Conn.; B, Sti-ati- tietl- drift plain, East Granby. Couu 72 X. A, Offset trap ridges near Tariffville, Conn.; i?. Flowing v.ell drilled in sandstone, East Granby, Conn 126 XL A, Sand pit in stratilied drift, Thompsonville, Entield, Conn. ; B, Stratilied drift overlying till, Thompsonville, Enheld, Conn 134 XII. Massive granite gneis.s, East Glastonbury. Conn 154 Figure 1. Diagram showing mean monthly precipitation at Norwalk, Conn., 1892-1913 12 2. Diagram showing mean monthly precipitation at Hartfor<l, Conn., 1846-1853 and 1S68-190S 13 3. Diagram showing mean monthly precipitation at ^Nliddletown. Conn., 18r)8-1902 13 4. Diagram showing tlie usual relation of the water table to the land surface on hills and in valleys 26 5. Diagram showing the relation of the water table on till- covered hills to the water table in valleys of stratified drift in glaciated regions 26 6. Diagram showing conditions under which artesian wnters may exist in the Ti-iassic sedimentary rocks in Connecticut^ 33 7. Diagrtim showing two types of installation of "house pumps '' 37 8. Diagram showing siphon Avell .nnd domestic waterworks 38 9. Graph showing the recovery of the well of J. S. Dewey after pumping 40 10. Graph showing relation of inflow to drawdown in the well of J. S. Dewey 42 11. Diagram showing two types of air lifts 45 12. Graph showing average composition of waters analyzed, grouped according to water-bearing formations 63 5 b ILLUSTEATIOFS. Page. Figure 13. Hypotlietical section of Long Neck Point, Darien 60 14. Profile across New Canaan (A-A' on Pis. II and III), show- ing iniclulating plateau and the valleys cut below it Tt; 1.5. Profile across Eidgefield (section C-C on Pis. II and III)___ 9G 16. Projected north-south profiles across Wiltoii, shelving terraced character of the plateau 110 17. Profile across- Wilton (section B-B' on Pis. II and -III), show- ing dissection of the terraced plateau 110 18. Geologic section across East Granby and Suffield (section D-D' ou PI. V) . 120 GROUND WATER IN THE NORWALK, SUFFIELT), AND GLASTONBURY AREAS, CONNECTICUT. By Harold S. Palmei?. INTRODUCTION. PROBLEMS RELATING TO WATER SUPPLIES IN CONNECTICITT. The census of 1910 reported the popuhition of Connecticut as 1,114,756. The area of the State is 5,004 square miles. The average density of population is therefore about 220 to the square mile, but the distribution of population is markedly uneven. More than 53 per cent of the inhabitants are gathered into 19 cities, each containing over 10,000. The cities are rapidly increasing in population, but parts of the State — about 24 per cent of the towns — are more sparsely settled to-day than in 1860. To speak broadly, the people of Connecticut are engaged in two occupations — manufacturing and mixed agriculture. Manufacturing is increasing at a rapid rate ; agriculture at a slower rate, but Avith a distinct tendency toward specialization. The fine scenerj^ of parts of the State has led to the development of country estates and shore homes. As the stage of cultui-e in a region rises it is necessary progres- sively to improve and increase the water supplies. Wild tribes are satisfied with the waters of springs and streams. Pastoral peoples need somewhat more water. Agricultural regions must have water at points where it may be conveniently used ; wells are made, springs are improved, and surface waters diverted to provide water at the points of utilization. In some arid regions extensive works are constructed to supply water for irrigation, as well as for domesti<' use and for watering stock. Industrial and mercantile communities, in which the population is concentrated in cities, demand a great deal of water, not only for human consumption Imt also for innum- erable technical purposes, such as for washing fabrics, for cooling metals, and for generating steam in boilers. An annual precipitation of 45 inches gives Connecticut in the aggregate large supplies of both surface and ground water, but the precipitation is sometimes deficient through periods of several weeks or months. Consequently farmers must endure periods of drought, 7 8 GROUND WATER IN NORWALK AND OTHER AREAS, CONN. manufacturers iiiiist provide against fluctuating water power, and the inhabitants of congested districts must arrange for adequate public supplies. With increase in population and diversification of interests conflicts have already arisen between water-pov/er users and domestic consumers, as well as between towns, for the right to use a particular stream or area. Demands are also being made hj prospective users of the waters for irrigation and drainage. The quality of water acquires new importance with the effort to improve the healthfulness of the State and to reclaim the waters now polluted by factory wastes and sewage. The necessitj^ of obtaining small but unfailing supplies of potable water for the farm and for the village home furnishes an additional problem, for the condition of many private supplies in Connecticut is deplorable. To meet the present situation and to provide for the future, State-wide regulations should be adopted. Obviously the first step in the solution of the Connecticut water problem is to make a com- prehensive study of both surface and ground waters to obtain answers to the following questions : How nuich water is stored in the gravel and sand and bedrock of the State?. How much does the amount fluctuate with the seasons? What is tlie quality of the water ? How may it best be recovered in large and small amounts ? What is the expense of procuring it? How much Avater may the streams of the State be relied upon to furnish ? To what extent are the stream waters polluted? How may the pollution be remedied? To what use should each stream be devoted? What is the equitable distribution of ground and surface water among the conflicting claimants — industries and communities ? WATER-SUPPLY INVESTIGATIONS.