Airborne Electromagnetic Surveys of Aquifer Conditions in Western Kansas
The Kansas Geological Survey, working with the groundwater management districts in western Kansas, is conducting a series of helicopter flights over multiple years to develop a better understanding of groundwater conditions in the Ogallala aquifer.
The surveys began in the summer of 2024, with Aqua Geo Frameworks of Fort Laramie, Wyoming, performing 2,500 miles of airborne electromagnetic surveys in Groundwater Management District 4 in northwest Kansas. Surveys are continuing in 2025 in Groundwater Management District 1 in west-central Kansas.
AEM surveys consist of a low-flying helicopter towing a large hexagonal frame equipped with scientific equipment designed to map geologic structures and groundwater resources to a depth of 1,000 feet below land surface. Pilots are specially trained for low-level flying and have a great deal of experience with airborne electromagnetic surveys. Flights are not conducted over residential areas or other buildings, livestock feeding operations, or wind turbines.
The research is made possible through funding from the Kansas Governor's Office and the Kansas Water Office.
The Ogallala Aquifer
The 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 and the Kansas Geological Survey 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 charting more sustainable paths for the aquifer.
Results
- Measuring the High Plains aquifer from the air (pdf) (March 2025)
- Airborne survey of northwest Kansas aquifer completed successfully