WATER RESOURCES OF ORANGE COUNTY 83
hardpan and shell. In most parts of Orange County, the base of the aquifer is approximately 40 feet below the land surface. However, in parts of the highlands region, the nonartesian aquifer may extend to greater depths. Its permeability and thickness and, consequently, its productivity vary; and there are local areas where it does not yield much water. Most wells in the nonartesian aquifer are small diameter, sand-point or screened wells 20- to 30-feet deep that yield sufficient water for domestic use (5 to 10 gpm). In some areas open-end wells can be constructed by seating the casing in a hardpan or clay layer and then drilling through the hard layer and pumping out stand until a small cavity or "pocket" is formed below the hardpan or clay layer. The well is then pumped at a rate higher than the planned normal rate until it is virtually sand free so it will not yield sand when in normal use. Wells of this type usually yield more water (up to 30 gpm) and require less maintenance than sand-point or screen wells; but, in many areas of the county, geologic conditions are not favorable for their development.
WATER LEVELS
The water table in Orange County ranges from about 0 to 20 feet below the land surface except below some of the sand hills in the western part of the county where it may be considerably deeper. In the lowlands and flatwoods sections of the county, the water table is usually within a few feet of the land surface. The water table conforms in a general way to the configuration of the land surface, but it is usually at greater depths under hills and may be above the land surface in low swampy areas. The degree to which the water table conforms to the configuration of the land surface depends to a large extent on the permeability of the nonartesian aquifer and the materials below it. Other factors being equal, the water table follows the land surface closest where the permeability is least.
The water table fluctuates in response to changes in recharge and discharge in a manner similar to the fluctuation in the levels of lakes and reservoirs. Fluctuations of the water table range from a few feet in flat areas of the county to 15 feet or more in hilly areas. Figure 36 shows the water table fluctuation in a well on East Highway 50, about 1 mile east of Bithlo (well 832-105-3) and in a well on Hiawassee Road about a mile south of West Highway 50 (well 832-128-4). The hydrographs show that the Bithlo well fluctuated about 4.5 feet during the period of record while the