APPENDIX C: WATER-TABLE ELEVATIONS IN EASTERN BARNSTABLE, MASSACHUSETTS 

 Cape Cod Aquifer Management Project Final Report Page C-5 



also occur in surveying the tops of well casing. Elevation data for obser- 

 vation wells were obtained from existing files and engineering reports. It 

 was not possible to verify their accuracy. And errors also may result 

 from incorrect positioning of wells and water-table contours on a base 

 map. All well locations were checked in the field either before or during 

 well measurement. Contours were hand drawn using standard techniques of 

 interpolation. They are dashed where there is insufficient information to 

 locate them precisely. 



Summary and Conclusions 



Sufficient information exists to map the water-table aquifer in eastern 

 Barnstable and western Yarmouth to assist town planners in evaluating and 

 protecting valuable ground water resources. It is important that both 

 regional and local ground water flow patterns be understood and described, 

 particularly with respect to surface water bodies. 



The distribution of water-table elevations obtained during this study does 

 not reflect average conditions. Heavy precipitation during the winter and 

 spring months of 1987 recharged the aquifer in excess of average amounts, 

 and water-table elevations at several locations were at record high levels 

 for their periods of measurement. Average ground-water elevations are 

 typically two to three feet lower than those shown on the map and the 

 accompanying table. 



The complex relationship between Wequaquet Lake and the surrounding aqui- 

 fer should be investigated more fully. Surface and water-table elevations 

 in the vicinity of the lake should be measured seasonally as they may 

 respond differently to variations in aquifer storage. If the range of 

 seasonal fluctuation is greater in the water-table mound than for We- 

 quaquet Lake, then potential changes in groundwater velocity and direction 

 may occur in this area. 



The gathering and compilation of the various pieces of information 

 regarding possible observation well locations and related data proved to 

 be a time consuming process. As noted, sufficient wells and information 

 existed to support a detailed water-table elevation project in 

 Barnstable. However, a comprehensive program to collect and maintain the 

 data in a central location is lacking. We suggest that towns, 

 governmental agencies and private research firms investigate the 

 establishment of an interagency data base for observation well data, in- 

 cluding well number (and cross reference), location (map, coordinates, 

 etc.), elevation, logs and owner. The use of a Geographic Information 

 System (CIS) and existing data bases such as STORET (EPA) and GWSI (USGS) 

 should be explored. It is hoped that the establishment of such a system 

 would assist the towns in their ground water protection programs and avoid 

 repetitive and costly research in the future. 



