1:100 000 Groundwater Vulnerability Maps of England and Wales
-Published by the National Rivers Authority
This valuable series of maps shows the country's aquifers, classified according
to the properties of the rocks and the overlying soils. The easy to follow
format of colour coding provides information at a glance about the vulnerability
class of a given area. For example, where a major aquifer lies close to
the surface and is covered by only a thin, freely-draining soil, a purple
colour indicates its high vulnerability. Groundwater is contained within
underground strata (aquifers) of various types across the country. It is
usually of high quality, but is vulnerable to pollution and once contaminated
redemption is difficult. Therefore the prevention of pollution is particularly
important. This new series of 53 maps is published by the NRA as a key tool
for the implementation of its "Policy and Practice for the Protection
of Groundwater". Each sheet has a section of text explaining the principles
involved, the geological and soil classifications, and a legend showing
the vulnerability classes. These maps provide an interesting insight into
a valuable commodity; about 35% of water used for public supply is groundwater.
To date (January 1996) 22 sheets have been published:
08: Central North Yorkshire 09: North East Yorkshire 12: Vale of York 13: Humber Estuary 16: West Cheshire 18: Nottinghamshire 19: Lincolnshire 21: West Shropshire 24: North Northants 25: West Norfolk 29: Worcestershire 31: Bedfordshire 32: North Essex 33: East Suffolk 37: Southern Cotswolds 38: Upper Thames and Berkshire Downs 39: West London 40: Thames Estuary 44: North West Hants 45: West Sussex & Surrey 47: East Kent 51: Dorset