More than 20 wells in Darke County dried up or were stressed last year.
Now, the Miami Conservancy District is working with Darke County to track its water resources.
Darke County commissioners approved the partnership in late April, after discussing the deal since January. It's the 10th county partnering with the regional agency.
The county and conservancy agency plan to create an annual report next year that consists of groundwater, precipitation and water flow measurements.
With the exception of the city of Greenville, Darke County Commissioner Larry Holmes said every municipality in the county relies on wells for drinking water. Groundwater is also used for irrigating crops. That’s what makes this research valuable for the county, he said.
“If it's being stressed, for whatever reason, either because of consumption or as climate changes occur, we need to get in front of that to avoid, as much as possible, being reactionary to any issues that may come up,” Holmes said.
Darke County’s geography contributes to its water resources, said Mike Ekberg, manager of monitoring and analysis with the Miami Conservancy District.
“There isn't as much (Great Miami) Buried Valley Aquifer in that county. A lot more of the groundwater that's present is stored in small sand and gravel zones that are relatively shallow, or you find it in bedrock that's deeper, maybe over 100 feet down, below the ground surface,” Ekberg said. “And those aquifers just aren't able to yield the same quantity of water as other parts of the state.”
The Great Miami Buried Valley Aquifer provides drinking water to 400,000 people in the region. But its highest water quantity is close to major rivers, which Darke County is further from.
The monitoring system, which will be used to track and measure water levels, should be set up by the end of the summer, Ekberg said.
The partnership will cost Darke County $40,000 a year and will last until 2028. The money is coming from the county general fund.
