PROBLEMS FROM DEVELOPMENT 145 



has been lowered about 10 feet below the minimum stage of 

 the Mississippi River by this pumping, but elsewhere the 

 water table still slopes toward the river, and it is evident that 

 wells have not begun to induce infiltration from the river. 

 Ground-water reservoirs along watercourses have been sug- 

 gested as potential sources of additional water at Indianapolis 

 and South Bend, Ind., where water levels in some wells had 

 dropped sufficiently to cause alarm. The marked success of 

 large developments in scores of localities indicates that water- 

 courses are very promising potential sources of additional 

 water. 



South Bend, Ind. 69 The city of South Bend has been de- 

 pendent on ground water for municipal supply since about 

 1886. Municipal pumpage was less than 2 million gallons 

 a day prior to 1900, reached 4% million gallons by 1915, 

 and in 1944 was more than 14 million gallons a day. The 

 pumpage from private wells has probably followed a similar 

 trend. In 1944 it was about 16 million gallons a day, of which 

 nearly half was for the important machine and metal-work- 

 ing industry. Of the total 30 million gallons a day pumped 

 in the South Bend area, more than a third was taken from 

 wells in the downtown business district. The rate of pump- 

 ing dipped slightly during reconversion after World War 

 II but has probably climbed above 30 million gallons a day 

 in recent years. 



The meager available records indicate no significant 

 changes of water levels in wells prior to 1915. Since that 

 year there has been a lowering of water levels in most wells, 

 of the order of 8 to 20 feet, or an average rate somewhat less 

 than half a foot a year. The decline probably correlates with 

 the increasing rate of withdrawal, with some variations re- 

 sulting from changes in rate of recharge from precipitation 

 during the 35-year period. The decline marks the develop- 



69 Reference: Klaer, F. H., Jr., and R. W. Stallman, Ground-water Resources 

 of St. Joseph County, Indiana, Ind. Div. of Water Res. Bull. 

 3, 1948, 82 pp. 



