R2025-013 Resolution Authorizing a Four-Year Sponsored Research Agreement with the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois for Real-Time Mahomet Aquifer Monitoring

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The City of Decatur may be using the backup wellfield on a more frequent basis and may also be installing an additional well to the northwest of its current well field to meet potential increases in demand. It is therefore beneficial to expand the network to start monitoring in areas that have not experienced large water demands yet. Scope of Work: This proposal seeks to continue its long-term water level monitoring program with the City of Decatur using the existing DeWitt observation wells.Specifically,the ISWS would continue real- time monitoring at the OW-1 and OB-W1 wells, install 3 more telemetry systems over a 4-year period (Figure 2), as well as conduct quarterly hand measurements at the remaining wells for the duration of the contract.This long-term monitoring project focuses on understanding the response of the aquifer to changes in pumpage by the City of Decatur, nearby communities (i.e., Clinton, Cisco), and potentially new users(industries or irrigators).The monitoring will place special emphasis on the aquifer response to typically higher demand during summer and drought conditions,and when the DeWitt wellfield is utilized. Insights from this monitoring data will eventually be used to update the ISWS groundwater flow model to provide our latest understanding of potential future aquifer conditions. Task 1:Install 3 more telemetry systems Field staff will install three more telemetry systems at the following sites: OB-W,OB-N1, and OB- W2. Field staff will install about 1 site per year over the 4-year project duration. Task 2:Maintenance of telemetry systems Field staff will maintain continuously-recording transducer/telemetry systems and take periodic hand measurements to verify accuracy of the transducers. Maintenance will include replacing parts that fail or are undergoing maintenance/calibration, such as dataloggers, modems, transducers, or batteries. Field staff will also perform any needed repair or maintenance on the observation wells outfitted with telemetry systems. Task 3:Quarterly hand measurements In addition to real-time measurements, ISWS staff will measure all of the City of Decatur observation wells on a quarterly basis using an electric dropline(15 wells total) Task 4:Data Management All the data collected for this project will be stored in the ISWS water level database. Both real- time and periodic water level data will be made available on the ISWS website under the City of Decatur Monitoring web page (link above). Deliverables: The deliverable for this project is maintenance of the existing monitoring well network webpage on the ISWS groundwater website.The webpage has links to online hydrographs that show near real-time water levels for the two telemetry sites and hand measurements at the other sites. Any major issues in water levels noted during the project timeline, such as major droughts or pumpage events, will be noted on the webpage and/or discussed in periodic presentations as the City of Decatur sees fit. 2