REPORT OF INVESTIGATIONS No. 40


32.4 mgd. Elevenmile Creek is used for disposal of industrial wastes.
Small storage reservoirs are located on Bayou Marcus Creek to enhance
the value of land.
 The surface water within the northern half of the two counties is
virtually unused. Several small dams on the Conecuh River in Alabama
regulate slightly the flow of Escambia River. The Florida Game and
Fresh Water Fish Commission operates a fish hatchery in the Blackwater
River Basin near the Santa Rosa-Okaloosa County line. Some of the many
small ponds in the area are used to water livestock.

 GROUND WATER
 Information was collected from the various users of ground water
within the area in order to estimate the total amount being withdrawn.
These data are essential to show areas of probable overdevelopment
and areas of potential development. Information on the use of ground
water can be compared with water-level graphs to estimate safe with-
drawals from an area.
 SAND-AND-GRAVEL AQUIFER
 Almost all the ground water used in Escambia and Santa Rosa coun-
 ties comes from the sand-and-gravel aquifer. The estimated daily use of
 ground water in both counties is about 87 million gallons-approximately
 60,000 gpm. Figure 43 shows the approximate amount of ground water
 used daily in the two counties for industrial and public supplies. The
 quantities of water are represented by the height of the bars. The illus-
 tration shows that most of the water is used in southern Escambia
 County and southwestern Santa Rosa County.
 Use by industries.-Industries use the largest amount of ground wa-
 ter in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. The industries use ground water
 at the rate of about 50 mgd. The estimated daily pumpage by industries
 is as follows:
 Paper and wood products--------------- 34.5 mgd
 Chemical plants ..-------... ------------- ------ 13.9 mgd
 Other uses (brewing, laundries, etc.) --------1.6 mgd
 The St. Regis Paper Company at Cantonment is the largest user of
 ground water in the area. The average daily pumpage is 31 mgd (not
 fully metered) from 25 wells. The wells were drilled in 1940, 1941, 1944,
 1946, 1947, 1951, and 1957 and range in depth from 158 to 485 feet.
 Each well has from one to five well screens. Seven wells have been aban-