Airborne Electromagnetic Surveys
AEM Survey Quick Links
- AEM Survey of Southwest Kansas Aquifer Conditions
Developing a better understanding of groundwater conditions in the Ogallala aquifer. - AEM Survey of West-Central Kansas Aquifer Conditions
Part of a project to map groundwater conditions in the Ogallala aquifer in Western Kansas Groundwater Management District No. 1. - AEM Survey of Northwest Kansas Aquifer Conditions
Scientists created a 3-D image of the High Plains aquifer in that area at a level of detail that has not previously been possible.
Airborne Electromagnetic Surveys Gauge Western Kansas Aquifer Conditions
The Kansas Geological Survey, working closely with groundwater management districts, is conducting a series of helicopter flights over multiple years to develop a better understanding of groundwater conditions in the High Plains aquifer in Kansas.
The technique known as airborne electromagnetic (AEM) surveying employs a helicopter and sensor array to measure the electrical resistivity of geologic materials from just below the land surface to depths of up to 1,000 feet. Those resistivity measurements are then translated into a three-dimensional model of the distribution of sand, silt, and clay layers within the High Plains aquifer. The KGS also will use the measurements to obtain information about the bedrock formations that lie beneath the aquifer.
Assessing the Aquifer with an Eye on the Future
The High Plains aquifer, which includes the well-known Ogallala aquifer, is the principal water source for agricultural, industrial, and municipal use in much of western Kansas. Intensive pumping of water from the aquifer over more than 60 years has resulted in large groundwater declines in many parts of the region.
The information obtained from the AEM flights will allow groundwater management districts, the Kansas Geological Survey, and others to better assess the nature and continuity of water-yielding materials in the aquifer. The ultimate objective is to obtain information that will assist groundwater management districts in developing strategies for extending the aquifer’s lifespan.
The research is made possible through funding from the Kansas Water Office and the Kansas Geological Survey.
AEM Survey Design and Operations
Each AEM survey employs a large hexagonal frame — approximately 100 feet in diameter and laden with instrumentation — that is suspended beneath a helicopter flying roughly 250 feet above land surface. The helicopter travels at approximately 50 mph, collecting subsurface data every 85 feet along the flight paths to depths of up to 1,000 feet below the land surface.
The KGS and its partners have completed AEM surveys in three groundwater management districts.
Sky Miles
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Miles in Northwest Kansas (GMD 4) in 2024
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Miles in Western Kansas (GMD 1) in 2025
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Miles in Southwest Kansas (GMD 3) in 2026
AEM Survey Partners
The KGS conducts AEM surveys in partnership with Aqua Geo Frameworks (AGF), a company that has performed numerous AEM surveys in the High Plains aquifer and elsewhere. AGF coordinates helicopter logistics, mobilizes the geophysical equipment, and performs the initial data processing.
Flight operations are carried out by Livewire Aviation, a Florida-based firm, whose pilots are specially trained for low-altitude flying and have considerable experience with AEM surveys.
The equipment is manufactured by SkyTEM, a Danish firm widely regarded as a leader in airborne electromagnetic technology.
The KGS leads flight planning, data quality review, and final data integration and analysis. Representatives from the KGS, AGF, Livewire, and SkyTEM are present on site each day during active survey operations.
The groundwater management districts also play a key role in spreading the word about AEM surveys in their regions. Learn more about each GMD:
- Groundwater Management District 1 (Western Kansas)
- Groundwater Management District 3 (Southwest Kansas)
- Groundwater Management District 4 (Northwest Kansas)
