Preliminary groundwater level measurements compiled by the Kansas Geological Survey show mixed results for western and south-central Kansas in 2023, with some areas in the northwest and west-central part of the state experiencing increases for the first time in three or more years.
“In the Ogallala portion of the High Plains aquifer, the aquifer had a chance to ‘reset’ in 2023, given some timely rains in the summer months,” said Brownie Wilson, KGS water-data manager.
Measurements in those areas reflect a rebound from lower-than-normal groundwater levels caused by the extreme drought conditions seen in 2022.
“Unfortunately, south-central Kansas missed out on those rains, and the dry conditions persist today,” Wilson said.
The KGS, based at the University of Kansas, and the Division of Water Resources (DWR) of the Kansas Department of Agriculture measure water levels in about 1,400 wells every year to monitor the health of the High Plains aquifer and other aquifers in western and south-central Kansas.
Those measurements showed an overall average decline of 0.17 feet last year, marking the fourth straight year of overall declines. Groundwater levels across the region fell 1.9 feet in 2022, about a foot in 2021 and 0.87 feet in 2020.
The High Plains aquifer is a network of water-bearing rock that extends into eight states. In Kansas, the aquifer comprises three components – the Ogallala aquifer, the Great Bend Prairie aquifer and the Equus Beds. Of these, the Ogallala underlies most of western Kansas and consists mainly of the Ogallala Formation, a geologic unit that formed from sediment eroded off the uplifting Rocky Mountains.
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Categories: Kansas, General