The Teays River was a large system flowing—in what are now the states of Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois—from the Tertiary period until glaciation in the Pleistocene. Glaciation during the Pleistocene turned the region through which the Teays River flowed into a region of aquifers. The system of aquifers created during this glaciation in the study region is known as the Teays-Mahomet Aquifer System (TMAS). The TMAS is an extensive formation spanning across the Midwestern United States. Specifically, the study focuses on the TMAS in east-central Illinois. The Mahomet Sand Member and Glasford formation are a few of the aquifers in the TMAS that have been useful sources of water. The TMAS provides water for residential, agricultural, and industrial needs in the region. The recharge rates and groundwater flow properties of the Mahomet Sand Member allow it to be a dependable source of groundwater. The impact of high rates of withdrawal in cities—like Champaign—within the study region has had impacts on the TMAS as a whole. Various cones of depression are changing the natural groundwater flow directions within the TMAS. Usage models show that the current rates of water withdrawal will continue to be sustainable, even with increases in usage. Potential contaminations, including landfill leakage and arsenic concentration, may create causes for concern in the longevity of the aquifer.No embargoAcademic Major: Earth Science
