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,~ ~- - ~~ E ~ ^Y .; Abandoned wells can serve as a route for pollution to enter groundwater as contaminated surface water, agricultural nmoff, and effluent from private sewage disposal systems can enter groundwater through abandoned wells jeopardizing area drinking water. For this reason, the District has made sealing these wells a priority. PROMOTE QUALITY SURFACE WATER ACHIEVE HEALTHY ECOSYSTEMS PROVIDE FOR FLOOD CONTROL GOAL: SUSTAIN QUALITY GROUIdDVdATER EDUCATE AND INVOLVE CITIZENS MANAGE ORGANIZATION EFFECTIVELY The RWMWD considers groundwater protection in management decisions and collaborates with other governing entities responsible for groundwater management and protection. ,,.> Beginning in 1990 and continuing through 2002, the RWMWD implemented a cost-share program for sealing abandoned wells. During that time, the RWMWD provided 50 percent cost share funds for sealing unused and abandoned wells. The RWMWD also assisted Ramsey County and several cities in sealing large, deep-aquifer abandoned wells. Based on independent studies, the RWMWD estimates that over 90 percent of old wells have been identified and properly sealed. From 1990 to 2002, RWMWD made approximately 770 grants The RWMWD participated in the Ramsey and Washington County groundwater to assist residents in sealing planning efforts and remains open to future collaborative efforts to assure the abandoned wells. The District safety of groundwater resources within the RWMWD. The RWMWD provided paid half of the cost of sealing technical assistance to North St. Paul when the city prepared its wellhead an eligible welt. protection plan. The RWMWD helped field the 2005 study, Integrating Originally, the program was Groundwater & Surface Water Management: Southern Washington County. available to anyone in the District, but the program was changed in 1993 to target funds to "high priority areas" as Cities, counties, and state agencies are assigned various groundwater protection identified by the new county and management roles, such as preparation of wellhead protection plans and geologic atlas information. Over roundwater management plans and collection of data. The role of watershed i a 12-year period, the RWMWD provided funding to seal over g management organizations, such as the RWMWD, in the protection and t 800 abandoned wells. management of groundwater resources has not been clearly defined. This has made it a challenge to manage expectations regardh~g the level of RWMWD involvement in groundwater-related activities. The RWMWD has protected groundwater by working with residents and govermnenr agencies to seal abandoned wells. Page 11 As the RWMWD increasingly promotes the use of infiltration basins as a best management practice to reduce the volume of stormwater runoff and associated pollutants, it is important that the District evaluates the potential impacts of infiltration on the quality of groundwater. Determining whether proposed infiltration basins could contribute pollutants to the groundwater is a challenge since available information on the migration of pollutants into shallow groundwater and the corresponding implications is limited, especially regionally. Vulnerable groundwater recharge areas have been identified in wellhead protection plans by several cities in the watershed. The RWMWD needs to be aware of these designated areas and consult with cities when making stormwater management decisions that may affect groundwater supplies. As the use of infiltration iii stormwater management increases throughout the RWMWD, the potential impacts on groundwater-surface water interaction (mixing) must also be considered. Changes to the groundwater-surface water interaction can impact the quantity of groundwater and/or surface water. Ramsey-Washington Metro ~r District