GroundUnder Shelby
The ground under Shelby.
Shelby sits in the bed of Glacial Lake Shelby. ODNR describes the lake occupying the low area between the St. Johns and Mississinewa moraines north of town, with another lake area to the south. Lake beds leave fine silt and clay, which hold water but give it up slowly, so wells around Shelby often look below the lake deposits for sand and gravel or go on into bedrock.
This is northern Richland County, where the Berea Sandstone lies at depth below the Sunbury and Bedford shales. ODNR rates those shales as poor aquifers (under 5 gallons per minute) and reports deep wells completed in the Berea commonly yielding 5 to 25 gallons per minute. Black Fork, running south from Shiloh, carries more productive sand and gravel to the east.
The water
Deep wells passing the Sunbury Shale can pick up sulfur odor and iron; ODNR notes the Sunbury carries pyrite. Hardness is the rule.
Permits
Rural Shelby-area wells in Richland County are permitted through Richland Public Health. Properties over the county line fall under that county’s health district. B&E is registered with the Ohio Department of Health as a private water systems contractor (9999-PWSC-26-000029).
Geology: ODNR, Ground Water Pollution Potential of Richland County (Report 63).
Q&AShelby questions
Asked around Shelby.
Why do wells around Shelby smell like rotten eggs?
That’s hydrogen sulfide, common in Ohio groundwater, especially from wells that pass shale. It’s usually a nuisance rather than a health threat at typical levels, but it corrodes plumbing and ruins taste. A test sets the treatment; B&E installs sulfur removal systems.
If the smell comes only from the hot water, the water heater’s anode rod may be the cause rather than the well.
Does the Berea Sandstone mean better water near Shelby?
Often it means more water than the shale above it, but yields still vary. ODNR reports deep Berea wells in northern Richland County commonly producing 5 to 25 gallons per minute. Your nearest well logs are the best guide.
Do you serve Shelby proper?
Most of Shelby is on city water. B&E serves the rural homes and farms around it that rely on wells. Call (419) 566-9589 with your address.