Town/City:

Muenster

State/Province:

North-Rhine-Westfalia

Country:

Germany

Latitude/Longitude:

53 N / 07 E

Information supplied by

Dr. Eckehard Paul Loehnert

(c/o) prinz@uni-muenster.de

Gustav Freytag Str. 75, D-48161 Muenster, Germany

(+) 2533-3443

Dated Mon Apr 14 20:41:50 1997

Information Topics:

City Description:

Population is 0.28 million, capital of administrative district, surrounded by agricultural acreage.

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Climate:

Humid condition with an annual precipitation of approx. 720 - 740 mm.

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Basic Hydrogeology:

Shallow aquifer system of Quaternary age overlying Cretaceous strata (Muenster Basin). Main aquifer is a narrow glacial channel cut into the Cretaceous surface.

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Water Use:

Public supply (approx. 12 million cbm/year) from city's underground plus 7 million cbm/year imported; industrial demand negligible.

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Groundwater Issues:

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Groundwater Problems:

Private and municipal well waters are contaminated due to farming practices; the problem is attempted to be overcome by artificial recharge techniques (one of two thirds of the total consumption is artificially recharged groundwater). Nitrate is the main contaminant besides suphate.

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Solutions:

Surface water required for artificial recharge purpose needs to be treated mainly to remove pesticides. Farmers have to be convinced to adapt fertilizing practices to groundwater quality requirements.

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References and Other Author(s):

Loehnert, E.P. (1994): Anthropogenic effects on Shallow groundwaters
in the Muensterland Region, FRG. Water Down Under'94,
Vol. 2, Part B, 707 - 709, Adelaide.

Loehnert, E.P. (1995): Comparative Hydrology of urban areas
in NW Germany. Proc. 26 IAH Congr. 8pp. Edmonton

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Contacts:

Stadwerke Muenster GmbH, Albersloher Weg 27-31, D-48155 Muenster, Germany
Prof. E.P. Loehnert, G.-Freytag-Str. 75, D-48161 Muenster, Germany

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