Water-Level and Recoverable Water in Storage Changes, High Plains Aquifer, Predevelopment to 2019 and 2017 to 2019

Scientific Investigations Report 2023-5143
Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program
By:  and 

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  • Document: Report (3.5 MB pdf) , HTML , XML
  • Data Release: USGS data release - Data from maps of water-level changes in the High Plains aquifer in parts of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming, predevelopment (about 1950) to 2019 and 2017 to 2019
  • Download citation as: RIS | Dublin Core

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 2019 and from 2017 to 2019.

Water-level changes from predevelopment to 2019, by well, ranged from a rise of 86 feet to a decline of 265 feet; the range for 99 percent of the wells was from a rise of 42 feet to a decline of 203 feet. Water-level changes from 2017 to 2019, by well, ranged from a rise of 34 feet to a decline of 27 feet; the range for 99 percent of the wells was from a rise of 11 feet to a decline of 11 feet. The area-weighted, average water-level changes in the aquifer were an overall decline of 16.5 feet from predevelopment to 2019 and a rise of 0.1 foot from 2017 to 2019. Recoverable water in storage in the aquifer in 2019 was about 2.91 billion acre-feet, which was a decline of about 286.4 million acre-feet since predevelopment and a rise of 1.6 million acre-feet from 2017 to 2019.

Suggested Citation

McGuire, V.L., and Strauch, K.R., 2024, Water-level and recoverable water in storage changes, High Plains Aquifer, predevelopment to 2019 and 2017 to 2019: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2023–5143, 15 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20235143.

ISSN: 2328-0328 (online)

Study Area

Table of Contents

  • Acknowledgments
  • Abstract
  • Introduction
  • Data and Methods
  • Water-Level Changes
  • Recoverable Water in Storage and Change in Recoverable Water in Storage, from Predevelopment to 2019 and from 2017 to 2019
  • 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 2019 and 2017 to 2019
Series title Scientific Investigations Report
Series number 2023-5143
DOI 10.3133/sir20235143
Year Published 2024
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
Country United States
Online Only (Y/N) Y
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details