Tool T05 · Breach Check
How protected is your neighborhood?
Pick a Shelby County neighborhood. See whether the clay shield above the Memphis Sand Aquifer is thick, thin, or broken underneath it. Distance to the nearest known breach is the key number.
Central Shelby
Downtown Memphis
Protection
Moderate protection
Clay shield strength60%
Thick clay shield, but several known breaches within 5 km.
Nearest known breach
2.1 km
On recharge zone?
No
How protection is assessed
- Distance to breach — less than 1 km is exposed; 1–3 km is weak; 3–5 km is moderate; 5+ km is strong.
- On recharge zone? — If yes, there's no clay shield at all. Surface activities directly threaten the aquifer.
- Nearby contamination — A thin shield matters more if there's a known contamination source upstream hydraulically.
Data:CAESER MLGW Study·Parks (1990)·USGS