Ground water

The principal aquifers in the Deerfield River basin are alluvial sand and gravel deposits that occur along the Deerfield River and its tributaries and in the Connecticut Valley lowlands near Greenfield and Deerfield. Water from wells in these areas is largely derived from rivers and streams by induced infiltration. These aquifers can usually yield several hundred gallons per minute to single wells. However, the lowland area of Greenfield and Deerfield is also underlain by thick deposits of fine sand, silt, and clay that yields little water to wells.

Crystalline bedrock in the basin can supply about 5 gal/min of water to wells, and sedimentary rocks, which occur only in the southeastern part of the basin, can supply about 10 to 80 gal/min wells. In general, wells in both crystalline and sedimentary rocks yield more in valleys than those on slopes and hills.