2. Salt water contamination of wells penetrating possible Permo-Triassic 

 salt deposits or entrapped marine water originating during postglacial 

 sea-level stands. 



3. Salt contamination of wells located in the proximity of heavily salted 

 highways during winter and spring months. 



4. Mineral contamination of well water from dissolved ions originating 

 from the bedrock. These ions include high iron, sulfide, and calcium- 

 magnesium derived from schists and metamorphised limestones, radon 

 from high radium-bearing igneous granites, and toxic heavy metals 

 (e.g., copper, zinc, mercury) from ore-bearing rock bodies. 



Toxic heavy metal concentrations occur in ground or surface waters where base- 

 metal ore-bearing rock bodies occur. The Union-Warren and Blue Hill-Cape 

 Rosier drainage areas exhibit relatively high concentrations of metals (e.g., 

 copper; Hurst and Dow 1972) which may contaminate or be toxic to commercial 

 marine organisms in the estuarine areas that receive their discharge. 



Other contaminants of water supplies and coastal waters are introduced through 

 direct application of solid and liquid wastes, pesticides, and sewage onto or 

 within surface soils. Leachates from solid waste disposal sites, settling 

 lagoons, individual septic systems, farm feed lots, and pesticide application 

 to agricultural and forested lands have all been documented as having 

 contaminated ground or surface waters (Caswell 1977; see chapter 3, "Human 

 Impacts on the Ecosystem"). 



WATER TABLE 



WELL BEING PUMPED 



CONE OF DEPRESSION 



DISPLACEMENT OF INTERFACE 

 CAUSED BY PUMPING OF WELL 



SALT WATER 



INTERFACE BETWEEN 

 FRESH AND SALT WATER 



Figure 2-28 



Groundwater flow near the fresh water - salt water 

 interface and the effect of pumping a well (Caswell 1977) 



2-52 



