GEM Case Studies: Three Fires Aquifer Wellhead Protection Plan

The Three Fires Aquifer supplies the City of Ann Arbor with a portion of their public drinking water supply. It also provides drinking water to residents of Lodi and Scio Townships. The City’s municipal wells are located at the City Airport, just south of the City, in Washtenaw County.

The purpose of Three Fires Wellhead Protection Program is to prevent contamination of this aquifer through public education and through coordination between the municipalities through which the aquifer flows.

The Three Fires Aquifer Wellhead Protection Area (WHPA) is the area within which contaminants could move toward and reach the municipal wells within a ten year time period. This area encompasses portions of the City of Ann Arbor and Pittsfield, Scio, and Lodi Townships. The wellhead protection program will focus its protection efforts on this geographic area.

To better coordinate protection activities, each municipality within the wellhead protection area, as well as Washtenaw County and the Huron River Watershed Council, have formed the Three Fires Aquifer Partnership. The Partners meet regularly to discuss educational and management activities to protect the Aquifer.

Protection Measures In Place:

Delineation of the Wellhead Protection Area - geologists at Eastern Michigan University performed a study that determined that area that provides recharge water to the municipal wells. This is the area on which the Partnership will focus its activities.

Inventory of Land Uses within the Wellhead Protection Area - Staff at the Huron River Watershed Council surveyed State and County records, aerial photos, and long time residents to describe the kinds of land uses existing within the WHPA. Everything we do on the land has the potential to impact groundwater. Knowing the kinds of land uses in the WHPA will guide the kinds of management needed to prevent groundwater pollution.

Washtenaw County Pollution Prevention Program - Washtenaw County requires any businesses with over 5 gallons of hazardous substances on site to report their chemical usage. The County also regularly inspects facilities storing over 56 gallons and requires proper handling and storage practices to prevent pollution.

A collection site where aircraft operators can drop off their used aviation oil is available at the Ann Arbor airport.

Future Plans:

Coordinate land use planning activities include: developing consistent site plan review standards protective of groundwater amongst the municipalities within the WHPA, review of proposed developments within the WHPA by the Partnership Committee, etc.

Targeted public education to residents within the WHPA activities include: mailing a brochure explaining the program, submitting articles in the local newspaper, launching an advertising campaign, developing of a home guide, posting road signs in the WHPA, etc.

Work with business in the WHPA to develop and maintain management practices to prevent pollution - activities include: meeting with Airport aircraft owners and businesses, signing businesses on to the Three Fires Partnership, etc.

Emergency management exercise the Partnership plans to help coordinate an exercise in order to prepare for a quick in the event a hazardous substance spill in the WHPA

For more information about the wellhead protection program or about how you can help protect groundwater, call the Ann Arbor Utilities Department at (313) 994-1005, or the Huron River Watershed Council at (313) 769-5123.

Institute of Water Research - MSU
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