News Release

Landowner Assistance Needed by USGS to Measure Water Levels in Local Aquifers

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and various state agencies will be measuring water levels in wells completed in aquifers within the Tri-State area of Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma and also in northern Arkansas during March.  These water-level measurements will be used in a study being conducted by the USGS to assess the long term response of the aquifers to pumping.

The USGS will be asking landowners for access to wells located on private property. The entire measurement procedure takes about 10 minutes and does not harm the well. The USGS employees participating in the study will be driving U.S. Government vehicles and have a U.S. Government picture ID.  Interested landowners who have a well completed in either the Springfield Plateau aquifer (generally 100 to 400 feet below land surface) or Ozark aquifer (generally 400 to 1,000 feet below land surface) located in any of the below-mentioned counties may contact the USGS at the numbers listed below for more information:

Kansas (contact Mike Pope 785-832-3548): Allen, Bourbon, Neosho, Crawford, Labette, and Cherokee Counties

Missouri (contact Brenda Smith, 573-308-3670): Vernon, Cedar, Barton, Dade, Jasper, Lawrence, Newton, Barry, and McDonald Counties

Oklahoma (contact Mark Becker, 405-810-4412): Craig, Ottowa, and Delaware Counties

Arkansas (contact John Czarnecki, 501-228-3617): Benton and Washington Counties

“Water-level information is critical in developing any model of a ground-water system,” stated Dr. John Czarnecki, USGS ground-water specialist.  “This information—much of it from privately owned wells—will be used in calibrating a mathematical model to changes resulting from increased ground-water withdrawals from municipalities and other users in the study area.  As water use increases, water levels are likely to drop.  The model will be used to assess how much change could occur in the years ahead.”

The information collected can be used by resource managers to make long-term water management decisions and by landowners who are concerned about the quantity of water in their wells, especially during the drought conditions that have been experienced in the past years.

The USGS serves the Nation by providing reliable scientific information to describe and understand the Earth; minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters; manage water, biological, energy, and mineral resources; and enhance and protect our quality of life.

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