Water-level changes in the High Plains aquifer, predevelopment to 2009, 2007-08, and 2008-09, and change in water in storage, predevelopment to 2009
Scientific Investigations Report
2011-5089
Prepared in cooperation with the Groundwater Resources Program
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Abstract
The High Plains aquifer underlies 111.8 million acres (175,000 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 groundwater in the aquifer area. This report presents water-level changes in the High Plains aquifer from the time before substantial groundwater irrigation development had occurred (about 1950 and termed "predevelopment" in this report) to 2009, from 2007-08, and from 2008-09. The report also presents change in water in storage in the aquifer, from predevelopment to 2009. Ninety-nine percent of the water-level changes from predevelopment to 2009 ranged from a rise of 41 feet to a decline of 178 feet. The area-weighted, average water-level changes in the aquifer were a decline of 14.0 feet from predevelopment to 2009, a decline of 0.1 foot from 2007-08, and a decline of 0.3 foot from 2008-09. Total water in storage in the aquifer in 2009 was about 2.9 billion acre-feet, which was a decline of about 274 million acre-feet since predevelopment.
Suggested Citation
McGuire, V., 2011, Water-level changes in the High Plains aquifer, predevelopment to 2009, 2007-08, and 2008-09, and change in water in storage, predevelopment to 2009: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2011-5089, viii, 13 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20115089.
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 2009, 2007-08, and 2008-09, and change in water in storage, predevelopment to 2009 |
| Series title | Scientific Investigations Report |
| Series number | 2011-5089 |
| DOI | 10.3133/sir20115089 |
| Year Published | 2011 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | U.S. Geological Survey |
| Publisher location | Reston, VA |
| Contributing office(s) | Nebraska Water Science Center |
| Description | viii, 13 p. |
| Country | United States |
| State | Colorado;Kansas;Nebraska;New Mexico;Oklahoma;South Dakota;Texas;Wyoming |
| Other Geospatial | High Plains |
| Scale | 2000000 |