In deep water
A glance at the McQueen Aquifer of Chesterfield County
While Chesterfield County’s landscape above ground is a sight to behold and breathe in, we also have a few surprises below the surface as well, like the McQueen Branch aquifer.
What’s an aquifer? In short, it’s an underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock or rock fractures saturated with groundwater, which can be unearthed by using a water well. Our county is primarily underlain by unconsolidated sediments of Late Cretaceous age and younger of the Atlantic Coastal Plain.
The productive – and the area’s most utilized – McQueen Branch is deep and semi-confined, supplying most of the potable water to residents in the county via a well field located near McBee. According to the most up-to-date study reported by SCDNR in 2016, the aquifer is estimated to be about 400 feet thick, which is also comprised of medium-grained sand, silts and clays.
In 2018, DHEC reported these aquifer groundwater withdrawal categories:
· Aquaculture: Water used for raising, farming and/or harvesting of organisms that live in water, such as fish, shrimp and other shellfish, and seaweed.
· Golf course irrigation: Water to maintain golf course turf, including tee boxes, fairways, putting greens, associated practice areas, and periphery aesthetic landscaping.
· Industrial process: Water used for commercial and industrial purposes, including fabrication, processing, washing, in-plant conveyance, and cooling.
· Agricultural and aesthetic irrigation: Water that is used for agricultural and landscaping purposes, like turf farming and livestock management.
· Mining process: Water used in mine operations, including mining, processing, washing and cooling.
· Water supply: Water withdrawn by public and private water suppliers and conveyed to users or groups of users. Water suppliers provide water for a variety of uses, such as domestic, commercial, industrial and public water use.
Because of the strength of the McQueen Branch aquifer, in 2016, Nestle Waters North America opened its newest bottling facility in McBee to supply Deer Park Natural Spring Water and Nestle Pure Life Purified Water to customers throughout the Southeast.
For more information and studies on the McQueen Branch aquifer, visit www.scdhec.gov or www.dnr.sc.gov.
