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Water-Level and Recoverable Water in Storage Changes, High Plains Aquifer, Predevelopment to 2017 and 2015–17

Scientific Investigations Report 2022-5080
Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program
By:  and 
https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20225080

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Abstract

The High Plains aquifer underlies 111.8 million acres (about 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 groundwater irrigation (about 1950). This report presents water-level changes and change in recoverable water in storage in the High Plains aquifer from predevelopment (about 1950) to 2017 and from 2015 to 2017.

Water-level changes from predevelopment to 2017, by well, ranged from a rise of 84 feet to a decline of 262 feet; the range for 99 percent of the wells was from a rise of 39 feet to a decline of 200 feet. Water-level changes from 2015 to 2017, by well, ranged from a rise of 41 feet to a decline of 21 feet; the range for 99 percent of the wells was from a rise of 14 feet to a decline of 10 feet. The area-weighted, average water-level changes in the aquifer were an overall decline of 16.8 feet from predevelopment to 2017 and a rise of 0.1 foot from 2015 to 2017. Total recoverable water in storage in the aquifer in 2017 was about 2.91 billion acre-feet, which was a decline of about 291.8 million acre-feet since predevelopment and a rise of 0.1 million acre-feet from 2015 to 2017.

Suggested Citation

McGuire, V.L., and Strauch, K.R., 2022, Water-level and recoverable water in storage changes, High Plains aquifer, predevelopment to 2017 and 2015–17: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2022–5080, 15 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20225080.

ISSN: 2328-0328 (online)

Study Area

Table of Contents

  • Acknowledgments
  • Abstract
  • Introduction
  • Data and Methods
  • Water-Level Changes
  • Change in Recoverable Water in Storage, Predevelopment to 2017 and 2015–17
  • Summary
  • References Cited
Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Water-level and recoverable water in storage changes, High Plains aquifer, predevelopment to 2017 and 2015–17
Series title Scientific Investigations Report
Series number 2022-5080
DOI 10.3133/sir20225080
Year Published 2022
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) Nebraska Water Science Center
Description Report: vi, 15 p.; Data Release; Dataset
Country United States
State Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Wyoming
Other Geospatial High Plains aquifer
Online Only (Y/N) Y
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details