News Release, Kansas Geological Survey, Dec. 11, 2006
LAWRENCE--Water specialists from the Kansas Geological Survey, based at the University of Kansas, will measure water levels in more than 500 water wells in western Kansas beginning January 3, 2007.
The measurements will be made in cooperation with the Division of Water Resources of the Kansas Department of Agriculture, which measures an additional 900 wells. Together the Survey and the Division measure wells in 47 counties in the south-central and western parts of the state.
The results are used by water managers and agencies to monitor and interpret general trends in ground-water levels in Kansas. Private landowners and businesses also rely on the information in making water-related decisions. Most of the measured wells are used for irrigation and tap into the High Plains aquifer, which includes the well-known Ogallala aquifer. The High Plains aquifer underlies much of western and south-central Kansas.
The wells are generally measured in January, after the end of the irrigation season.
"To produce consistent data, we measure the same wells at about the same time each year using the same proven methods," said Brownie Wilson, water-data manager for the Survey and one of the staff measuring wells this year.
Weather permitting, Survey crews will begin measurements in areas around Colby and St. Francis on January 3 and 4, then move south, working in the Syracuse area on January 5, and around Hugoton on January 6. They will complete measurements around Liberal on January 7, depending on weather and road conditions.
Last year's measurements showed that average water levels dropped about one foot in southwestern Kansas, 0.7 feet in northwestern Kansas, and about 0.3 feet in west-central Kansas from January 2005 to January 2006.
For the five-year period from 2001 to 2006, when much of Kansas experienced drought conditions, levels dropped about 8 feet in southwestern Kansas, 4 feet in northwestern Kansas, and 3.6 feet in west-central Kansas. Below-average precipitation leads increased ground-water pumping, which in turn leads to greater water-level declines.
"We appreciate the landowners and farmers who participate in this program by allowing us access to their property and wells," said Brett Wedel, manager of the Survey's measurement program. "Without them this program could not be successful."
Measurements of individual wells made in January 2006 (as well as historical measurement data) are available at the Survey's web site (http://www.kgs.ku.edu/Magellan/WaterLevels/index.html). Results of measurements made in January 2007 will be available at the same site in late February 2007.
Other information about the state's ground water is available from the KGS web site. This includes a new site dedicated to water right information, http://hercules.kgs.ku.edu/geohydro/wimas/index.cfm.
Story by Rex Buchanan, (785) 864-2106.
For more information, contact Brownie Wilson (785) 864-2118
Kansas Geological Survey, Public Outreach
URL="http://www.kgs.ku.edu/General/News/2006/2007waterlevel.html"