Kansas Geological Survey, Open-file Report 2015-34
by
Brett Bennett and Mary Brohammer
KGS Open-file Report 2015-34
Dec. 2015
The field-measurement phase of the 2015 annual cooperative water-level measurement program was successfully completed by both the Kansas Geological Survey (KGS) and the Division of Water Resources (DWR), Kansas Department of Agriculture, prior to March 1, 2015. The annual program is designed to regionally sample the High Plains aquifer in Kansas so trends can be established and evaluated for effective incorporation into water-resource management strategies. Water levels were recorded in 96.6% of the 1,389 network wells in 2015. The KGS measured 556 wells and the three DWR offices (Garden City, Stafford, and Stockton) measured 833 wells. Responsibility for reading Ford County wells was assumed by KGS in 2015; the DWR office in Stafford had been responsible for reading these wells in 2014. Data acquisition by KGS staff was completed in January.
Based on spatial analysis of the 2014 annual network-well distribution, 29 locations were found that required additional water-level data to permit continuous and uniform sampling of the High Plains aquifer. Wells were identified in these locations that have sufficient construction and historical information and landowner cooperation to attempt a water-level measurement. Of these 29 wells, 27 were measured and were incorporated into the network for 2016. They will be measured in all future measurement campaigns unless the wells become unreliable or are plugged. Yearly geostatistical studies will define undersampled areas and will be used to select optimum locations for replacement wells to eliminate extraneous holes in the hexagonal network.
| January 2015 Acquisition | KGS | DWR | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of network wells in 2015 | 556 | 833 | 1,389 |
| Number of counties | 15 | 32 | 47 |
| 2015 provisional (new) wells | 14 | 15 | 29 |
| # provisional wells measured | 13 | 14 | 27 |
| # wells successfully measured | 538 | 804 | 1,342 |
| # wells MIA | 18 | 29 | 47 |
| # QA wells | 64 | 52 | 116 |
| # wells targeted for removal | 1 | 0 | 1 |
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Kansas Geological Survey, Geophysics
Placed online Jan. 5, 2016
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