{"id":30639,"date":"2023-09-18T14:12:31","date_gmt":"2023-09-18T18:12:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/mitchellcenter\/?page_id=30639"},"modified":"2026-02-06T09:25:23","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T14:25:23","slug":"performance-of-novel-shallow-wells-in-agricultural-landscapes","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/mitchellcenter\/road-to-solutions\/performance-of-novel-shallow-wells-in-agricultural-landscapes\/","title":{"rendered":"Performance of novel shallow wells in agricultural landscapes"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"30734\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-30734 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/mitchellcenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/293\/2023\/11\/Schattman-Credit-Linden-Schneider-300x169.jpg\" alt=\"Rachel Schattman measures the depth of a shallow well\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" srcset=\"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/mitchellcenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/293\/2023\/11\/Schattman-Credit-Linden-Schneider-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/mitchellcenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/293\/2023\/11\/Schattman-Credit-Linden-Schneider-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/mitchellcenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/293\/2023\/11\/Schattman-Credit-Linden-Schneider-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/mitchellcenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/293\/2023\/11\/Schattman-Credit-Linden-Schneider-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/mitchellcenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/293\/2023\/11\/Schattman-Credit-Linden-Schneider-2048x1152.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/mitchellcenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/293\/2023\/11\/Schattman-Credit-Linden-Schneider-105x59.jpg 105w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/mitchellcenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/293\/2023\/11\/Schattman-Credit-Linden-Schneider-600x338.jpg 600w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/mitchellcenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/293\/2023\/11\/Schattman-Credit-Linden-Schneider-317x178.jpg 317w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/mitchellcenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/293\/2023\/11\/Schattman-Credit-Linden-Schneider-423x238.jpg 423w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/mitchellcenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/293\/2023\/11\/Schattman-Credit-Linden-Schneider-634x357.jpg 634w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/mitchellcenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/293\/2023\/11\/Schattman-Credit-Linden-Schneider-846x476.jpg 846w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/mitchellcenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/293\/2023\/11\/Schattman-Credit-Linden-Schneider-951x535.jpg 951w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/mitchellcenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/293\/2023\/11\/Schattman-Credit-Linden-Schneider-1268x713.jpg 1268w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/mitchellcenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/293\/2023\/11\/Schattman-Credit-Linden-Schneider-320x180.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 320px) 85vw, (max-width: 768px) 67vw, (max-width: 1024px) 62vw,300px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rachel Schattman measures the depth of a shallow well. Photo credit: Linden Schneider.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h4><em>Hydrologic and hydraulic performance of novel shallow wells in agricultural landscapes<\/em><\/h4>\n<p><strong>Sponsor:<\/strong> Maine Water Resources Research Institute 2023 (104b)<br \/><strong>Institution:<\/strong> 91爆料<\/p>\n<p><strong>Team Leader:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/mitchellcenter\/people\/rachel-schattman\/\">Rachel Schattman<\/a>, Assistant Professor of Sustainable Agriculture, 91爆料<\/p>\n<p><strong>Team Members:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Joseph Ayotte, Hydrologist, USGS New England Water Science Center<\/li>\n<li>Marcel Belaval, Deputy Director, USGS New England Water Science Center<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This project will leverage stakeholder engagement and participation to address water access in agricultural settings, of great importance to the state of Maine as climate change-driven droughts become more frequent and severe.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"30735\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-30735\" src=\"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/mitchellcenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/293\/2023\/11\/Shallow-well-schematic-credit-chelsea-gilgan-300x190.png\" alt=\"Schematic of a shallow well\" width=\"300\" height=\"190\" srcset=\"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/mitchellcenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/293\/2023\/11\/Shallow-well-schematic-credit-chelsea-gilgan-300x190.png 300w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/mitchellcenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/293\/2023\/11\/Shallow-well-schematic-credit-chelsea-gilgan-768x487.png 768w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/mitchellcenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/293\/2023\/11\/Shallow-well-schematic-credit-chelsea-gilgan-105x67.png 105w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/mitchellcenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/293\/2023\/11\/Shallow-well-schematic-credit-chelsea-gilgan-317x201.png 317w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/mitchellcenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/293\/2023\/11\/Shallow-well-schematic-credit-chelsea-gilgan-423x269.png 423w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/mitchellcenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/293\/2023\/11\/Shallow-well-schematic-credit-chelsea-gilgan-634x402.png 634w, https:\/\/umaine.edu\/mitchellcenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/293\/2023\/11\/Shallow-well-schematic-credit-chelsea-gilgan.png 794w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 320px) 85vw, (max-width: 768px) 67vw, (max-width: 1024px) 62vw,300px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Schematic of a shallow well. Credit: Chelsea Gilgan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The overarching goal of this project is to assess novel shallow well performance in an agroecological context. Specifically, the team will investigate how the novel shallow well performs over a range of hydrologic conditions (such as seasonal high and low water table positions). This will allow the team to characterize the value of novel shallow wells in the context of agricultural water management in the northeast. The team aims to evaluate the biophysical performance of shallow wells for agriculture (i.e., microbial and chemical safety, recharge rates and volume), in varied climatic conditions (i.e., drought of various degrees of intensity and duration), for varied uses (i.e., livestock watering, irrigation, others). To meet this goal, researchers will complete the following objectives:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Evaluate the hydrological performance of novel shallow wells (i.e. the well\u2019s ability to meet agricultural users\u2019 needs), including response to pumping in years characterized by different degrees of drought;<\/li>\n<li>Evaluate the water quality and safety of shallow wells.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>This work builds upon past research funded by the USDA Northeast Climate Hub and the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station (MAFES), with in kind support from the USGS New England Water Science Center and the Environmental Protection Agency. Two wells have already been installed and are actively being monitored. This proposal would fund a third well to expand current research, and deepen the team&#8217;s engagement with agricultural stakeholders and students.<\/p>\n<h3>Project Report<\/h3>\n<p>The overarching goal of this project was to assess novel shallow well performance in an agroecological context. Specifically, we collected preliminary data that allows us to better understand how the novel shallow well performs at three sites in Maine. Our assessments to date show that the specific location of each well influences the recovery time, which has direct influence on how the well can or cannot be used for irrigation or other agricultural purposes. For example, the well located at Highmoor Farm in Monmouth, Maine took several days to recover after a 5-hour pumping event, while the well at the Wyman\u2019s Center in Old Town, Maine took approximately 24 hours. Each well is unique in its final dimensions (depth is constrained by ledge, width and length are constrained by landscape features such as wetlands and roadways). Each site has different soil texture and parent materials, which we are in the process of characterizing. This award allowed us to collect one year of data from three wells, though we anticipate continuing pump tests in coming years in order to better characterize well performance in different conditions (i.e., drought, wet years).<\/p>\n<h3>Products<\/h3>\n<p><em><strong>Presentation:<\/strong> <\/em>Schattman, R. E. (2023). Novel shallow wells: A new design for water access in Maine. Presentation at the Maine Agricultural Trade Show. January 10, 2023. Augusta, ME. <em>Audience: <\/em>Agricultural stakeholders.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Website post:<\/em> <\/strong>Testing the Novel Shallow Well at Hart Farm in Maine (1\/26\/2023) USDA Climate Hubs. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.climatehubs.usda.gov\/hubs\/northeast\/topic\/testing-novel-shallow-well-hart-farm-maine\">https:\/\/www.climatehubs.usda.gov\/hubs\/northeast\/topic\/testing-novel-shallow-well-hart-farm-maine<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>News story: <\/em><\/strong>News Center Maine (10\/17\/2022) New shallow well design shows promise for farmers as climate changes. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newscentermaine.com\/video\/news\/umaine-shallow-wells-carlyseabass-6pm-pkg\/97-4ea63e62-2894-4c5d-b963-2ab7106910a9\">https:\/\/www.newscentermaine.com\/video\/news\/umaine-shallow-wells-carlyseabass-6pm-pkg\/97-4ea63e62-2894-4c5d-b963-2ab7106910a9<\/a><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>News story:<\/strong> <\/em>Morning Ag Clips (10\/11\/2022) 91爆料 pilots affordable well design for farms | Morning Ag Clips. https:\/\/www.morningagclips.com\/umaine-pilots-affordable-well-design-for-farms\/<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Newsletter article<\/strong>: <\/em>USDA Northeast Climate Hub Newsletter (The Quarterly Harvest) (8\/2022) Partnership with 91爆料 advances affordable well research | USDA Climate Hubs. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.climatehubs.usda.gov\/hubs\/northeast\/news\/partnership-umaine-advances-affordable-well-research\">https:\/\/www.climatehubs.usda.gov\/hubs\/northeast\/news\/partnership-umaine-advances-affordable-well-research<\/a><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>News story<\/strong>: <\/em>Why this unusual well design could be the future in Maine. (7\/5\/24). Bangor Daily News<em>. https:\/\/www.bangordailynews.com\/2024\/07\/05\/homestead\/farm-life\/maine-farming-shallow-wells-joam40zk0w\/<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hydrologic and hydraulic performance of novel shallow wells in agricultural landscapes Sponsor: Maine Water Resources Research Institute 2023 (104b)Institution: 91爆料 Team Leader: Rachel Schattman, Assistant Professor of Sustainable Agriculture, 91爆料 Team Members: Joseph Ayotte, Hydrologist, USGS New England Water Science Center Marcel Belaval, Deputy Director, USGS New England Water Science Center [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":957,"featured_media":0,"parent":31727,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"templates\/page-withsidebar.php","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-30639","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"taxonomy_info":[],"featured_image_src_large":false,"author_info":{"display_name":"mitchellcenter","author_link":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/mitchellcenter\/author\/mitchellcenter\/"},"comment_info":0,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/mitchellcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/30639","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/mitchellcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/mitchellcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/mitchellcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/957"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/mitchellcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30639"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/mitchellcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/30639\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36106,"href":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/mitchellcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/30639\/revisions\/36106"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/mitchellcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/31727"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/mitchellcenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30639"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}