The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1911-09-07
underground
!. I WATER i Il: STUDIES
UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL
I SURVEY PORT ON WELLS
4 AND SPRINGS OF SOUTHERN
MAINE. g X, Z.

d $50 " Z
Z, The underground water resources
Of southern Maine were recently In.
vestlgated by the United States Geo.
logical Survey and report issued on
the subject is available TO persons
who may request 1t. The area Gov;
cred includes practically all Of south.
ern Maine, from the coast northward
beyond Calais, 'Oldtown, skowhegan,
and Rangeley, Its northern boundary
very nearly following the 45 degree
parallel. Se5 Z. :,
The Geological Survey has had fire..
quent requests for information re.
garding the occurrence or the quality
of water In certain towns. In sec.
tions 1of the State: q where: water lis
scarce. as onathe islands and along
the coast especially"in the SUMMER.
resort, region, tits necessary that fec.
pie should, be informed whether It is
possible to obtain water by drilling,
and Il SO, at whatsdepthiit may be pro.
ciired!. Many towns in the State nre
searching for a'Spubllc supply and
some Towns have poor supplies and
lwishs.to improve them. z The report
aims to help IN solving such problems.
Another object in view Is the further.
anee or proper well construction. In
soms parts OF the State and by some
drillers the most modern methods Of
drilling and casing wells are used;
elsewhere, however and 5iby other
idrlliers, wells are improperly con.
structed and some are dangerous to
the public health. A comparison OF
the. various methods OF construction
ought to teach valuable lessons.
"combination" Wells Unsafe.
The Surveys Investigations In
Maine HAYES hown that there is an
abundance OF water beneath the sur
facet II granite, slate. and other rocks.
hut as the water occurs in crevices
which are not regularly distributed
through the rocks. the amount which
will be found at any given location or
depth Is uncertain and can never be
definitely, predicted. Water in the
rocks is usually of good quality, but
in some districts 1t has large min.
eral content Water in surface depos-
its is generally abundant except in dry
weather, but the quality is variable.
1t has been found that drilled wells
are the most satisfactory and that
dug wells and combinations of dug
and drilled wells are to be avoided,
especially in villages. Most OF the
commercial mineral springs of the
State are safely situated. and their
water is of excellent quality. Only a
few springs were seen which should
be condemned. The public water sup.
plies are mostly satisfactory. but In q
few of them. owned by private par
ties or corporations, the water is bad
ly polluted. In such cases the aban-
donment of present sources is recon-
mended. 1Ea.t.-,
Valuable Suggestions for Locating
~ Wells.
In addition to giving a detailed de.
scription of n large number Of wells
and springs in southern Maine the re.
port contains. much general informa-
tion. applicable to all sections Of the
country, on the occurrence Of under.
ground waters.as found in the variour
rocks, with suggestions and advice as
to location of well sites, digging,
drilling, cnrblns, etc. The report can
mot fall to. be OF interest and value to
those who wish to procure a new wa
ter supply and desire Information as
TO where to locate their wells and at