Groundwater declines average of two feet in central, western Kansas in past year

LAWRENCE -- Groundwater levels measured in wells in central and western Kansas declined an average of slightly less than two feet from January 2002 to January 2003, according to preliminary analyses by scientists at the Kansas Geological Survey, based at the University of Kansas.

That decline compares with an average drop of about one foot during the previous year.

Those numbers are based on 1,070 wells in central and western Kansas that have been measured every year since 1996 by the Survey and the Division of Water Resources of the Kansas Department of Agriculture. Crews attempt to measure about 1,400 wells under this cooperative program, but not every well can be measured every year.

The results are considered provisional and are still being analyzed by Survey scientists.

Most of the wells that were measured are used for irrigation, and this year's larger decline likely is related to extended dry weather. When less rain falls, irrigators pump additional water from their wells, affecting water levels. In addition, warmer and drier weather this winter resulted in the continued operation of a number of wells in the areas where measurements were taken, which also had an impact on water levels.

Water level changes varied across the state.

In southwestern Kansas, covered by Groundwater Management District No. 3, the decline was the greatest, averaging 3 feet in 2002-03, compared with 1.6 feet in 2001-02. In northwestern Kansas, Groundwater Management District No. 4, the decline averaged about 1.5 feet in 2002-03, compared with 0.2 feet the previous year. On average, wells measured in west-central Kansas, Groundwater Management District No. 1, dropped about 1.2 feet last year, compared with 0.7 feet of decline the previous year.

In south-central Kansas, water levels declined a little less than the statewide average: about 1.3 feet in the Big Bend Groundwater Management District south of Great Bend, compared with a decline of about 0.6 feet in 2001-02.

The decline was about 0.4 feet last year in the Equus Beds Groundwater Management District north of Wichita, compared with 1.1 in 2001-02. The Equus Beds district is the only groundwater management district in the state whose average decline in 2003 was less than the previous year.

The results of the 2003 measurements for individual wells are available from the Survey's refurbished Web site. Selecting wells by legal description, latitude and longitude, county, or groundwater management district, users can retrieve water well records, map the selected wells and view a simple graph of water-level changes.

"This newly enhanced Web site does more than provide data," said Survey water-data manager Blake "Brownie" Wilson. "The site turns that data into information that can help guide decisions."