Hydrogeologic investigation of the west Charlemont aquifer, Charlemont, Massachusetts

The University of Massachusetts Department of Geosciences and Office of the Massachusetts State Geologist were asked by the Franklin Regional Council of Governments to make an assessment of the extent, thickness and hydraulic properties of the West Charlemont aquifer located in valley fill deposits along the Deerfield River in the Town of Charlemont, Massachusetts. Previous work by Gay et al. (1974) mapped these fill deposits as a medium yield aquifer (51 gallons per minute, gpm, to 200 gpm). The purpose of this investigation is to evaluate further the potential of this medium yield aquifer as a viable groundwater resource for the Town of Charlemont. Results from six new seismic refraction surveys, three new boreholes, analysis of grain size distribution curves and a review of previous borehole logs and geophysical surveys were compiled to build a conceptual 3-dimensional visualization of the aquifer system. These data were used to make a first-order estimate of potential yield.