Ground water supplies of the Camden area, New Jersey

Abstract

This report is one of several setting forth the results of investigations as to the safe yield of the principal water-bearing formations in certain parts of New Jersey, carried on cooperatively by the New Jersey Department of Conservation and Development and the United States Geological Survey. Other areas in which similar studies have been made are the Atlantic City area; the Asbury Park area; the Runyon area, including the Perth Amboy well field; the area embracing the well fields of the Commonwealth-Water Co., the East Orange Water Department, and other municipalities near the Passaic River in the vicinity of Chatham; and the Garfield Water Department well field and those of several industries in the vicinity of East Paterson. The results of the study in the Camden area are of value for several reasons. The greater part of the water supply of Camden comes from wells in three fields with an estimated capacity of about 30 million gallons a day, distribute1 over a triangular area of less than one square mile. This is one of the largest developments of ground water in so small an area in the United States. During the investigation a number of new wells were drilled in this area, and the type of wells and methods of pumping were changed, and observations were possible that otherwise could seldom be obtained under such favorable circumstances. As a result of the building of the new bridge across the Delaware River between Philadelphia and Camden there has been a considerable increase in population and in consumption of water in the Camden area, and this investigation is valuable in showing the extent to which further development of ground water is possible. The observations on which the report is based were made in the period from July 1, 1923, to the date of writing the report, in the early part of 1928.1 The continuing observations have been confined essentially to the well fields of the Camden Water Department. Certain data in regard to other well fields within a radius of 10 miles of Camden, collected by F. Clark Rule under the direction of the writer in the summer of 1923, and other data obtained from the files of the Department of Conservation and Development are also included in so far as they bear on the problems under consideration. The City of Camden has cooperated heartily through C. P. Sherwood, formerly director of the Department of Streets and Public Improvements, his successor, W. D. Sayrs, Jr., James H. Long, maintenance engineer of the Water Department, and David B. Owen, chief engineer of the Morris pumping station. Much valuable information has been furnished by the Layne-New York Co., which, during the period of the investigation, replaced nearly all the old-type wells of the Camden system with those of the most modern type. The investigation was under the immediate supervision of H. T. Critchlow, then chief of the Division of Waters of the Department of Conservation and Development, and O.E. Meinzer, geologist in charge of the Division of Ground Water of the United States Geological Survey. The late Dr. M. W. Twitchell, assistant State geologist, was consulted on phases relating to the stratigraphy. A number of analyses of water have been made by C. S. Howard, of the United States Geological Survey, and advice in regard to problems arising from the mineral character of the water has been given by W. D. Collins, chemist in charge of the Division of Quality of Water of the same organization. Thanks are also due to those of the other water departments and private well owners in the area who have furnished information.