Kansas Geological Survey, state agency to measure groundwater levels in western Kansas

LAWRENCE — A crew from the Kansas Geological Survey, based at the University of Kansas, along with staff from three field offices of the Kansas Department of Agriculture's Division of Water Resources will be in western Kansas to start measuring groundwater levels the first week of January 2025. 

Levels are measured annually as part of a joint project to monitor the health of the state's valuable groundwater resources. Most of the wells measured by KGS and DWR tap into the High Plains aquifer, a massive network of underground water-bearing rocks and the main source of water in western Kansas. The rest draw from deeper aquifers or shallower alluvial aquifers along creeks and rivers.

Weather permitting, the KGS crew will be working near Colby on Jan. 2, Goodland on Jan. 3, Ulysses and Elkhart on Jan. 4, Liberal on Jan. 5 and Dodge City on Jan. 6. 

Brownie Wilson, KGS water-data manager, said he expects the year to end close to normal in terms of precipitation for the state, but the general dry conditions and lack of rainfall over the summer months will likely contribute to greater declines in water levels this year than last.

“The year started off with moderate to severe drought conditions primarily in the center and northern portions of Kansas,” Wilson said. “The lack of moisture, especially in the western half of the state during the early spring, allowed those dry conditions to expand. Outside of a few events in limited areas over the summer, it wasn’t until November when virtually all of the High Plains aquifer region received gentle and beneficial rainfall.”

The High Plains aquifer underlies portions of eight states. In Kansas, it encompasses three individual aquifers — the Ogallala aquifer in the western third of the state, the Equus Beds around Wichita and Hutchinson, and the Great Bend Prairie aquifer around Pratt and Great Bend.

Groundwater levels in much of the state's portion of the Ogallala aquifer have been on the decline since water use started to rise in the mid-20th century. Dry years lead to increased water usage, primarily for irrigation, which in turn typically causes greater declines in water levels.

The KGS and DWR measure depth to water in roughly 1,400 wells in 48 counties, primarily in January to avoid as much as possible skewed data associated with short-term declines caused by widespread pumping during the growing season. This year, the KGS will measure 576 wells, and crews from the DWR's field offices in Garden City, Stafford and Stockton will measure 823.

Wells are accessed with landowners' permission, and many have been monitored for years, although new wells are added as older wells become inaccessible or to fill in spatial gaps in the monitoring network. The majority are within the boundaries of the state's five groundwater management districts (GMDs), which are organized and governed by area landowners and water users to address local water-resource issues.

Historical annual measurements for each well are available on the KGS website. Results of measurements made in January will be added in late February.