Water-Level Changes in the High Plains Aquifer, Predevelopment to 2007, 2005-06, and 2006-07
Scientific Investigations Report
2009-5019
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Abstract
The High Plains aquifer underlies 111.6 million acres (174,000 square miles) in parts of eight States - Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming. Water-level declines began in parts of the High Plains aquifer soon after the beginning of substantial irrigation with ground water in the aquifer area. This report presents water-level changes in the High Plains aquifer from the time before substantial ground-water irrigation development had occurred (about 1950 and termed 'predevelopment' in this report) to 2007, from 2005-06, and from 2006-07. The report also presents the percentage change in saturated thickness of the aquifer, from predevelopment to 2007.
Measured water-level changes from predevelopment to 2007 ranged from a rise of 84 feet in Nebraska to a decline of 234 feet in Texas. The area-weighted, average water-level changes in the aquifer were a decline of 14.0 feet from predevelopment to 2007, a decline of 0.4 foot during 2005-06, and a decline of 0.6 foot during 2006-07. Total water in storage in the aquifer in 2007 was about 2.9 billion acre-feet, which was a decline of about 270 million acre-feet since predevelopment.
Suggested Citation
McGuire, V., 2009, Water-Level Changes in the High Plains Aquifer, Predevelopment to 2007, 2005-06, and 2006-07: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2009-5019, iv, 10 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20095019.
ISSN: 2328-0328 (online)
Study Area
| Publication type | Report |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | USGS Numbered Series |
| Title | Water-Level Changes in the High Plains Aquifer, Predevelopment to 2007, 2005-06, and 2006-07 |
| Series title | Scientific Investigations Report |
| Series number | 2009-5019 |
| DOI | 10.3133/sir20095019 |
| Year Published | 2009 |
| Language | ENGLISH |
| Publisher | U.S. Geological Survey |
| Contributing office(s) | Nebraska Water Science Center |
| Description | iv, 10 p. |
| Time Range Start | 2005-01-01 |
| Time Range End | 2007-12-31 |
| Online Only (Y/N) | Y |