Design and construction of a salt and fresh water well couple to intercept saltwater migrating into the Southern Hills Aquifer system

R. “Randy” Hollis, P.E., Post Office Box 66396, Baton Rouge, LA 70896-6396:

randy@owenandwhite.com; Roy A. Waggenspack, P.E., Post Office Box 66396, Baton Rouge, LA 70896-6396: roy@owenandwhite.com

Saltwater intrusion into the Southern Hills Aquifer system in East Baton Rouge Parish is of great concern to both public and industrial water supply. Public supply wells have already been affected by the intrusion of saltwater across a fault line and into the fresh water aquifers.   A presentation will be made by Mr. Randy Hollis, PE and Mr. Roy Waggenspack, PE of Owen and White, Inc. to review a unique well couple designed to intercept the saltwater migrating toward several major well fields for public supply. This unique well couple includes both a freshwater well and a saltwater well drilled into the 1,500 foot aquifer placed within fifteen feet of each other horizontally and separated vertically within the same aquifer by only 30 feet.   This presentation will review the solutions available to discharge both the fresh water and saltwater pumped from the aquifer, construction details of the coupled wells, and the construction of a three mile long discharge pipeline for the saltwater. Results of the operation of the well couple will also be presented.