Post by Sharon Faulkner on Sept 15, 2006 8:11:40 GMT -5
Growing Communities on Karst Conference
Meeting promotes karst awareness
By Chris Brown
September 15, 2006
SHEPHERDSTOWN —Chlorination of water in karst terrains is often the only thing that stands between the population’s safety and many waterborne diseases, according to Geary Schindel, the chief technical officer at the Edwards Aquifer in San Antonio, Texas.
Schindel, who was the keynote speaker at the third annual Growing Communities on Karst Conference, held at the National Conservation Training Center Wednesday, said the large amount of cattle and poultry farms in the region make it especially important to regulate wells and water supplies in Berkeley and Jefferson counties.
The conference presented several geologists’, hydrologists’, and karst experts’ views on the need to regulate development on karst terrain. Schindel insisted that regulation of development was the key to maintaining water quality on karst geology.
Schindel said that there was very little filtration of water in karst areas, which can lead to many pollutants seeping into the ground water and causing health risks. Schindel briefly summarized karst geology as landscape where the rock dissolves and changes the terrain. This can lead to sinkholes, sinking streams, caves and springs Schindel said. This generally occurs where the rocks are primarily made up of carbonates, such as limestone.
During this week’s conference, he told a story about Walkerton, Ontario, where a major outbreak of E. coli was linked to karst rock features. The town’s chlorination system was improperly maintained, and it was not killing the bacteria, which was getting into the water supply when farmers fertilized their fields.
Twila Carr, of the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) said introducing regulations into land use helps to promote “smart growth ... not try to restrict development”
In Texas there are many regulations that Schindel has had to oversee, he said. They include water quantity permits for developers and municipalities, a ban on underground storage tanks, regulations for HAZMAT storage, and a geological assessment that developers must conduct.
He recommended that similar measure be taken in the Eastern Panhandle. “You need to invest in your infrastructure if you want to protect yourself,” Schindel said.
Schindel said that one of the problems with many consultants is that they often give advice or make promises about karst that cannot be kept. Developers and planners should look to experts for advice when dealing with karst geology, he said. “Be careful of charlatans, hubris, arrogance, chicanery, incompetence, stupidity and greed,” Schindel said.
www.journal-news.net/news/articles.asp?articleID=3708
— Staff writer Chris Brown can be reached at 725-6581, or at cbrown@journal-news.net
Meeting promotes karst awareness
By Chris Brown
September 15, 2006
SHEPHERDSTOWN —Chlorination of water in karst terrains is often the only thing that stands between the population’s safety and many waterborne diseases, according to Geary Schindel, the chief technical officer at the Edwards Aquifer in San Antonio, Texas.
Schindel, who was the keynote speaker at the third annual Growing Communities on Karst Conference, held at the National Conservation Training Center Wednesday, said the large amount of cattle and poultry farms in the region make it especially important to regulate wells and water supplies in Berkeley and Jefferson counties.
The conference presented several geologists’, hydrologists’, and karst experts’ views on the need to regulate development on karst terrain. Schindel insisted that regulation of development was the key to maintaining water quality on karst geology.
Schindel said that there was very little filtration of water in karst areas, which can lead to many pollutants seeping into the ground water and causing health risks. Schindel briefly summarized karst geology as landscape where the rock dissolves and changes the terrain. This can lead to sinkholes, sinking streams, caves and springs Schindel said. This generally occurs where the rocks are primarily made up of carbonates, such as limestone.
During this week’s conference, he told a story about Walkerton, Ontario, where a major outbreak of E. coli was linked to karst rock features. The town’s chlorination system was improperly maintained, and it was not killing the bacteria, which was getting into the water supply when farmers fertilized their fields.
Twila Carr, of the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) said introducing regulations into land use helps to promote “smart growth ... not try to restrict development”
In Texas there are many regulations that Schindel has had to oversee, he said. They include water quantity permits for developers and municipalities, a ban on underground storage tanks, regulations for HAZMAT storage, and a geological assessment that developers must conduct.
He recommended that similar measure be taken in the Eastern Panhandle. “You need to invest in your infrastructure if you want to protect yourself,” Schindel said.
Schindel said that one of the problems with many consultants is that they often give advice or make promises about karst that cannot be kept. Developers and planners should look to experts for advice when dealing with karst geology, he said. “Be careful of charlatans, hubris, arrogance, chicanery, incompetence, stupidity and greed,” Schindel said.
www.journal-news.net/news/articles.asp?articleID=3708
— Staff writer Chris Brown can be reached at 725-6581, or at cbrown@journal-news.net