IE GSI Groundwater Wells and Springs 100K Ireland (ROI) ITM View

Groundwater is the water that soaks into the ground from rain and can be stored beneath the ground. Wells, springs and boreholes provide vital information on the characteristics and properties of the ground and water beneath our feet.

Materials extracted from beneath the ground supply everything we need to sustain our life as we know it. From the fuels we use to run our cars, to the numerous minerals that are in your mobile phone, to the minerals and water in the food and drink we rely on. These materials include rocks, minerals and fluids (eg water) or gas contained in rocks.

Data from wells, springs, boreholes and geological reports are vital for finding out where these materials are located and if they are suitable for extraction. eg water, coal, oil, sand, gravel gypsum etc. The data also helps to monitor the availability of the resource eg 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. Boreholes, along with bedrock, subsoil and aquifer maps are used to help decide if the ground under a site is suitable for geothermal energy extraction.