The Hydrogeology of Ebenezer Swamp and Vicinity — Preservation of a Ground-Water Dependant Ecosystem

A limestone quarry was proposed near the Ebenezer Swamp in central Alabama. The University of Montevallo owns a portion of the swamp and uses it as a teaching aid. Fearing that quarry operations would alter the existing balance between surface water and ground water that the swamp and its ecosystem depend upon, the University filed for an injunction to prevent the quarry development. To convince the Court that damage to the Ebenezer Wetlands Ecological Preserve would occur if the quarry was developed, hydrogeologic investigations were completed by, and on behalf of the University. The investigations included review of published information regarding the hydrology and geology of the area, limited site reconnaissance because of the on-going between the University and the developer of the quarry, review of drilling logs from earlier exploration at the site, modeling of predicted drawdown of the water table that would be caused by dewatering of the quarry, and limited drilling and geophysical logging at the site.