IE GSI Aquifers Ireland (ROI) ITM View

Groundwater is the water that soaks into the ground from rain and can be stored beneath the ground. An aquifer is a body of rock and/or sediment that holds groundwater. There are two main types of aquifer in Ireland: bedrock aquifers and sand and gravel aquifers. Bedrock aquifers are found in cracked bedrock and in limestone bedrock which has been partly dissolved to create cavities. Groundwater resources can also occur in large deposits of sand and gravel.

Aquifer maps help us locate groundwater resources which can be used to supply drinking water. Knowing where and in what amounts groundwater can be found is important. It helps us plan where water supplies for communities and towns can be developed. The data can also help to protect drinking water. Rock properties and structures such as faults impact how water and/or pollutants move below the surface. Drinking water can be protected by locating potential polluting operations, such as landfills, away from groundwater.

Geothermal energy is the energy stored in the form of heat beneath the surface of the earth. It can be used to supply heat and hot water. It can also be used to cool a house by removing surplus heat energy and putting it into the ground. Aquifer maps along with subsoil and bedrock maps are used to help decide if the ground under a site is suitable for geothermal energy extraction.

Engineers need this information when they are designing structures (houses, buildings, roads, etc.). They need to know the quality of the ground (strength and depth of soil, if rock and or groundwater is present) and how structures can be built in and on it. They use the information to decide the best supports and foundations needed for structures so that they don’t collapse. They can also find out if there are any underground obstructions, groundwater, faults etc which could result in additional costs or delays. If there is a fault then the rock will be cracked and broken underground, which is much weaker. The engineers need to know where the faults are when they...