On April 4, 2022, the City of Angola approved funding to investigate the long-term availability of the local water supply.

In the past few years, as existing water users increase their pumping, there have been various proposals for new large regional well fields. While groundwater supplies have always been adequate, it is unknown how much water is truly available. After informal and formal discussions, the Angola Common Council approved a Water Department proposal to invest in a large-scale investigation that will answer the following basic questions: Will the current withdrawals from the local groundwater exceed the supply? How much water is available for use by industry, agricultural irrigators, homeowners, and utilities? Is the local water supply secure for the long-term?

The last few decades have seen an increase in new agricultural irrigation but the regional effects of this new use on water levels in the aquifer have not been monitored. The same is true for new high-capacity public supply wells. Without the right data in the right location, it is not possible to accurately anticipate the effects of future groundwater withdrawals.

This investigation will collect water level data and create geologic and hydrologic models to determine whether all the aquifer withdrawals are sustainable. The project will evaluate the long-term availability of water supplies near Angola and use groundwater flow models to determine the most efficient water-supply monitoring system that can be used to check how well the system responds. The work will evaluate growth scenarios to determine whether new withdrawals can be satisfied without altering accessibility for existing users.

INTERA, Incorporated, a national firm specializing in water resource analysis and aquifer protection has been selected to perform the work. Operating from their Bloomington Indiana office, INTERA staff have conducted similar studies throughout Indiana, and across the country.

The water project will kick off May of this year. There will be at least two public meetings (not yet scheduled) to help engage the public and answer questions during the investigation.