Swan House

This borehole measures water levels in the Permian-aged ‘Magnesian Limestone’ (now called the Ford Formation) to the north-west of Darlington in north-east England.

BGS Enquiries can help you to access groundwater level data for this well.

Hydrograph

Information about the well

Hydrogeological setting

The borehole fully penetrates the Ford Formation, which is overlain by 26 m of till deposits. The borehole was completed at the top of the Pennine Coal Measures Group

Well or borehole construction

The borehole was purpose drilled as an trial or observation borehole. It consists of a 610 mm-diameter borehole, lined to 34.44 m, then a 457 mm-diameter slotted casing, adjacent to the limestone, with a gravel pack in the 610 mm hole.

Hydrograph response

Water levels are confined. The hydrograph has an annual sinusoidal pattern, fluctuating around 5 m annually. This pattern appears to be superimposed on longer term fluctuations (possibly related to industrial abstractions) that saw water levels at a high in the late 1970s, after which levels declined to the early 1990s, with a subsequent recovery to 2000, after which levels appear stable. There appears to be a clear response to major recharge events, with distinct peaks in wetter years.

Data issues

This well replaced Rushyford (NZ22/22) as an index well in July 2001. Data is intermittent prior to September 1973.

Acknowledgements

At a national level, groundwater level monitoring data is collected and managed by the Environment Agency (England), the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency, Natural Resources Wales and the Department of the Environment (Northern Ireland).

Access the data they collect and curate, which includes many monitoring sites beyond those highlighted on these pages: 

• Scotland (SEPA)
• England (Defra) 

Contact

Please contact BGS Enquiries for further information.