A  Precious Resource in the Pinelands

Beneath the Pinelands is a hugh reservoir of fresh water known as the Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer. This underground water supply is equivalent to the approximate size of a lake measuring 2,300 square miles, averaging 38 feet deep and containing 17 trillion gallons of water. The aquifer feeds most of the region's streams, maintains the ecological balance of the coastal estuaries, supports agriculture, and provides drinking water for hundreds of thousands of people.

All this could change, however, with a moderate drop in the water table and/or changes in water quality. The aquifer's water quantity is threatened by excessive pumping of groundwater in certain areas, while water quality is endangered by pollution from contaminants such as fertilizers and pesticides. Protecting water quantity and quantity is the key to resource protection in the Pinelands.