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Access a legend for the map below
Source of Map: Water Resources Inventory of CT, Part 6, Upper Housatonic River Basin, by the
U. S. Geological Survey and the CT Department of Environmental Protection, 1972.

THIS IS AN EARLY (1972) GENERALIZED MAP OF ESTIMATED AQUIFER BOUNDARIES ONLY:
COMPARE IT TO LATER DATE USGS SURFICIAL MATERIALS MAP

TWO AQUIFERS ARE SHOWN BELOW: THE TITICUS VALLEY AQUIFER IS IN
THE UPPER LEFT AND THE UPPER TITICUS AQUIFER IS AT LOWER RIGHT

 

HISTORIC BASE LINE DATA: 1980 HVCEO
REPORT ON UPPER TITICUS AQUIFER

Near the headwaters of the Titicus River, this small aquifer (0.6 square mile) between North Salem Road and North Street in central Ridgefield has an estimated secondary recharge area of 2.3 square miles and a coarsely granular structure favorable for high volume wells.

Undeveloped wetland lies along the entire stream (Titicus River), but much of the surrounding area is fully developed for residential use (1 and 2 acre lots, although zoned RAA - for 2-acre lots). While the area lies just beyond the extent of the Town sewer system, there are no known water quality problems at present.

A producing well of the Ridgefield Water Co., at the south end of the aquifer, drilled in 1967 through 78 ft. of drift to limestone base, yields 160 gallons per minute This aquifer, because of its central location and granular composition, offers a possible source of additional water to the village area of Ridgefield if sufficient controls can be exerted to control the one potential problem: on site domestic sewage disposal in and around a highly permeable soil.


EXCERPT ON THE UPPER AND LOWER TITICUS
AQUIFERS (SAME TEXT FOR BOTH) FROM A
1995 RIDGEFIELD PZC CONSULTANT’S STUDY

These aquifers are beneath the Titicus River, a westward flowing river that is a tributary to the Croton River, which in turn is a tributary to the Hudson River. The hydrogeology of the Upper and Lower Titicus aquifers was adequately characterized by the USGS investigation.

Twenty-two well completion reports on file at the Ridgefield Health Department supplement the USGS data. The aquifer is up to 80 feet thick and is composed of fine-grained sediments (silt and clay) in many areas. Interbedded within the aquifer are zones of coarse sand and gravel. The total areal extent of the combined aquifers is about 1.2 square miles. Generally, the sand directly overlies bedrock, but occasionally is separated from bedrock by a layer of till.

The potential capacity of wells is unclear, because although the aquifer is relatively thick, its fine-grained nature would limit the yields. Portions of the aquifer are mapped with coarser-grained material, which should yield usable quantities of water to a well.

Analyses of water samples include organic compounds, and indicate the water is suitable for consumption; however, manganese has been detected above recommended limits. LBG's search of the CT DEP's records did not reveal any significant threat to water quality.

The USGS estimated that 0.4 to 0.6 million gallons per day are available from recharge to the aquifers from a total watershed area of about 9.8 square miles. This is consistent with our low-flow calculations of 0.3 to 0.6 million gallons per day, depending on the method utilized.


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