Cover photograph—Ray Casanova, USGS, Wichita, Kansas, measuring an areal index well (IW–22) in Harvey County, July 11, 2002 (photograph taken by

Trudy Bennett, USGS, Wichita, Kansas).
Status of Ground-Water Levels and Storage 

Volume in the Equus Beds Aquifer Near 

Wichita, Kansas, January 2000–January 2003

By Cristi V. Hansen and Walter R. Aucott

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Prepared in cooperation with the

City of Wichita, Kansas

Water-Resources Investigations Report 03–4298
U.S. Department of the Interior

Gale A. Norton, Secretary

U.S. Geological Survey

Charles G. Groat, Director

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2004

For sale by U.S. Geological Survey, Information Services

Box 25286, Denver Federal Center

Denver, CO 80225

For more information about the USGS and its products:

Telephone: 1-888-ASK-USGS

World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov/

Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply 

endorsement by the U.S. Government.

Although this report is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to

reproduce any copyrighted materials contained within this report.

Suggested citation:

Hansen, C.V., and Aucott, W.R., 2004, Status of ground-water levels and storage volume in the Equus Beds aquifer

near Wichita, Kansas, January 2000–January 2003: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources

Investigations Report 03–4298, 36 p.

Prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey in Lawrence, Kansas (http://ks.water.usgs.gov)
iii

Contents

Abstract. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Purpose and Scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Methods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Description of Study Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Previous Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Geology and Ground Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Ground-Water-Level Changes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Storage-Volume Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Effects of Artificial Recharge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Selected References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Figures

1. Maps showing location of study area near Wichita, south-central Kansas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

 2. Graphs showing relation of precipitation, water use for agricultural irrigation and by city of Wichita 

for public supply, and water-level altitudes in observation wells 104 and 886 and Equus Beds aquifer 

storage-volume change in study area, 1938–January 2003. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

 3. Generalized geologic section. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

4–7. Maps showing water-level altitudes in Equus Beds aquifer in study area for:

4. August 1940 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

 5. October 1992 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

 6. April 2000. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

 7. January 2003. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

8–20. Maps showing water-level change in Equus Beds aquifer in study area:

8. August 1940–January 2000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

 9. August 1940–April 2000. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

 10. August 1940–July 2000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

 11. August 1940–October 2000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

 12. August 1940–January 2001 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

 13. August 1940–April 2001. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

 14. August 1940–July 2001 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

 15. August 1940–October 2001 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

 16. August 1940–January 2002 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

 17. August 1940–April 2002. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

 18. August 1940–July 2002 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

 19. August 1940–October 2002 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

 20. August 1940–January 2003 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

 21. Map showing maximum seasonal water-level changes in Equus Beds aquifer in study area during 

January 2000–January 2003 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
iv

22–25. Maps showing water-level change in Equus Beds aquifer in study area:

22. October 1992–January 2003 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

 23. October 1992–April 2000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

 24. April 2000–January 2003. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

 25. January 2000–January 2003 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

26. Graph showing storage-volume changes in Equus Beds aquifer in study area for significant 

periods during August 1940–January 2003 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Table

1. Storage-volume changes in Equus Beds aquifer near Wichita, south-central Kansas, 

August 1940–January 2003 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Conversion Factors, Abbreviations, and Datums

Prior to April 2000, vertical coordinate information is referenced to the National Geodetic Vertical 

Datum of 1929 (NGVD 29). For April 2000 and after, vertical coordinate information is referenced 

to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88). NAVD 88 vertical coordinates are about 

0.5 ft higher than NGVD 29 vertical coordinates in the part of south-central Kansas discussed in 

this report.

Horizontal coordinate information is referenced to the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83).

Multiply By To obtain

acre-foot (acre-ft) 1,233 cubic meter (m3)

acre-foot per year (acre-ft/yr) 1,233 cubic meter per year (m3/yr)

degree Fahrenheit (oF) (1

)

1

Temperature in degrees Celsius (°C) may be converted to degrees Fahrenheit (°F) as follows:

°F = (1.8 x °C) + 32

Temperature in degrees Fahrenheit (°F) may be converted to degrees Celsius (°C) as follows:

°C = (°F - 32) / 1.8

degrees Celsius (oC)

foot (ft) 0.3048 meter (m)

inch (in.) 25.4 millimeter (mm)

inch per year (in/yr) 25.4 millimeter per year (mm/yr)

mile (mi) 1.609 kilometer (km)

square mile (mi2) 2.590 square kilometer (km2)
Status of Ground-Water Levels and Storage 

Volume in the Equus Beds Aquifer Near 

Wichita, Kansas, January 2000–January 2003

By Cristi V. Hansen and Walter R. Aucott

Abstract

The Equus Beds aquifer northwest of Wichita, Kansas, 

was developed to supply water to Wichita residents and for irrigation in south-central Kansas beginning on September 1, 1940. 

Ground-water pumping for city and agricultural use from the 

aquifer caused water levels to decline in a large part of the area. 

Irrigation pumpage in the area increased substantially during 

the 1970s and 1980s and accelerated water-level declines. A 

period of water-level rises associated with greater-than-average 

precipitation and decreased city pumpage from the study area 

began in 1993. An important factor in the decreased city pumpage was increased use of Cheney Reservoir as a water-supply 

source by the city of Wichita; as a result, city pumpage from the 

Equus Beds aquifer during 1993–2002 went from being greater 

than one-half to slightly less than one-third of Wichita’s water 

usage. Since 1995, the city also has been investigating the use 

of artificial recharge in the study area to meet future water-supply needs and to protect the aquifer from the intrusion of saltwater from natural and human-related sources to the west.

During January 2003, the direction of ground-water flow 

in the Equus Beds aquifer in the area was generally from west 

to east similar to predevelopment of the aquifer. The maximum 

water-level decline since 1940 for the period January 2000 to 

January 2003 was 29.54 feet in July 2002 at well 3 in the northern part of the area. Cumulative water-level changes from January 2000 to January 2003 typically were less than 4 feet with 

rises of less than 4 feet common in the central part of the area; 

however, declines of more than 4 feet occurred in the northwestern and southern parts of the area. 

The recovery of water levels and aquifer storage volumes 

from record low levels in October 1992 generally continued to 

April 2000. The recovery of about 182,000 acre-feet of storage 

volume in the area from October 1992 to April 2000 represents 

about a 64-percent recovery of the storage depletion that 

occurred from August 1940 to October 1992. About 47 percent 

of this recovery was lost from April 2000 to October 2002 when 

storage volume in the area decreased by about 86,000 acre-feet. 

Major contributors to the decreases in water levels and storage 

volumes were reduced recharge associated with precipitation 

that was less than in the preceding 5 years and increased irrigation pumpage. The loss of storage probably would have been 

larger if the continued decrease in city pumpage, which is 

closely associated with the water-level rises in the central part 

of the study area, and increased city use of water from Cheney 

Reservoir had not occurred. The effect of artificial recharge on 

water levels and storage volume probably was masked by the 

generally larger decreases in city pumpage in the area.

Introduction

The Wichita well field in the Equus Beds aquifer in southwestern Harvey County and northwestern Sedgwick County 

was developed to supply water to residents of Wichita and for 

irrigation in the study area in south-central Kansas (fig. 1). On 

September 1, 1940, Wichita began pumping from 25 wells completed in the aquifer in the central part of the study area 

(Stramel, 1956) (central part of the study area shown in fig. 1), 

and by 1959, there were 55 wells in use by the city of Wichita 

(Stramel, 1967). Ground-water pumpage from the aquifer for 

city and agricultural use has caused water levels to decline in a 

large part of the study area. A substantial decline in water levels 

occurred from 1940 until the drought of the 1950s ended in 

early 1957 (Stramel, 1967). Ground-water pumpage for irrigation in the study area increased substantially during the 1970s 

and 1980s and accelerated water-level declines (Myers and others, 1996; Aucott and Myers, 1998). Most of the water-level 

declines can be attributed to ground-water pumpage; however, 

climatic conditions (and thus recharge to the Equus Beds aquifer) also have affected water levels. 

The Equus Beds Groundwater Management District No. 2 

was formed in 1975 as part of the effort to balance the factors 

affecting water levels in the Equus Beds aquifer, to efficiently 

manage and optimize the use of water from the aquifer, and to 

preserve the aquifer for future generations. The District works 

with municipal and agricultural users to manage pumpage from 

the aquifer using the “aquifer safe-yield principle,” which limits 

ground-water pumpage to the annual amount of ground-water 
2 Status of Ground-Water Levels and Storage Volume in the Equus Beds Aquifer, January 2000–January 2003

recharge as noted in the management program of Equus Beds 

Groundwater Management District No. 2 (1995).

In 1965, the city of Wichita began using water from 

Cheney Reservoir (Stramel, 1967) in addition to water from the 

Equus Beds aquifer. Since 1995 (Warren and others, 1995), the 

city of Wichita, in cooperation with Equus Beds Groundwater 

Management District No. 2 (Halstead, Kansas), Bureau of Reclamation (U.S. Department of the Interior), U.S. Geological 

Survey (USGS), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 

various Kansas State agencies, Burns and McDonnell Engineering Consultants (Kansas City, Missouri), and Mid-Kansas 

Engineering Consultants (Wichita, Kansas), has been investigating the potential for using artificial ground-water recharge in 

the study area to meet future water-supply needs and to protect 

the aquifer from the intrusion of saltwater from natural and 

human-related sources to the west. Because of the social and 

economic importance of ground-water resources and the potential changes that artificial recharge may bring to the aquifer, the 

Study area

SW

SW NE

NE

0 2 4 6 8 10 MILES

0 2 4 6 8 10 KILOMETERS

37 ̊45'

38 ̊

38 ̊15'

97 ̊45' 30' 97 ̊15'

Arkansas

River

Kisiwa

River

Arkansas

Little

West

East

Emma 

Emma 

Creek

Sand 

Creek

Creek

Creek

RICECOUNTY

RENO

COUNTY

MARION

COUNTY

MCPHERSON

COUNTY

Approximate 

extent of High

Plains aquifer

in Kansas

SEDGWICK

COUNTY

HARVEY

Hesston COUNTY

Newton

Bentley

Hutchinson

Alta

Mills

Emma

Creek

Halstead

Index map

Cheney

Reservoir

North Fork

Ninnescah R 

KANSAS

Approximate boundary of 

Equus Beds aquifer

(from Ross, 1991; Juracek

and Hansen, 1995)

Andale

Valley

Center

Sedgwick

Wichita

Burrton

Halstead

recharge

site

Sedgwick

recharge Central part site

of study area

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:100,000, 1983 

Lambert Conformal Conic projection

Standard parallels 33 ̊ and 45 ̊, central meridian 98 ̊15'

Trace of section—Shown in figure 3

EXPLANATION

Cow

Creek

KINGMAN

COUNTY

Patterson

Mount

Hope

Figure 1. Location of study area 

near Wichita, south-central 

Kansas (modified from Aucott 

and Myers, 1998).
Introduction 3

city of Wichita conducted a cooperative study with the USGS to 

document changes in historical hydrologic and water-quality 

conditions and the probable causes of these changes in the study 

area, to develop a baseline condition for evaluating the effects 

of artificial recharge on ground-water levels in the aquifer, 

and to periodically review changes in the ground-water 

flow system.

The USGS and the city of Wichita have worked cooperatively since 1940 in evaluating the Equus Beds aquifer and its 

interaction with streams in the area to further the understanding 

of the entire hydrologic system and to provide information to 

aid local decisionmaking. The understanding gained from this 

cooperative study of the hydrologic system and the Equus Beds 

aquifer can contribute to the wise management of water 

resources where similar hydrologic conditions exist elsewhere. 

This report is prepared in cooperation with the city of Wichita.

Purpose and Scope

The purpose of this report is to describe ground-waterlevel and storage-volume changes in the Equus Beds aquifer 

northwest of Wichita during January 2000 to January 2003 as 

compared with predevelopment (1940) ground-water levels and 

to update historical information related to changes in the aquifer 

since 1940. Maps of ground-water-level measurements and 

water-level changes are presented. Two hydrographs of groundwater levels were selected to show historical water-level variations. Historical water-use and climate information also are presented. The information in this report can be used to monitor 

and improve understanding of the effects of climate, water use, 

and water-resource management practices on water supplies in 

the Equus Beds aquifer, an important source of water for the 

city of Wichita and the surrounding area.

Methods

Extensive information is available to describe hydrologic 

conditions in the study area. Water-level data have been collected periodically from more than 100 wells by city of Wichita 

personnel using standard water-level measurement techniques 

similar to USGS methods described in Stallman (1971). Data 

collection began just prior to the beginning of city pumpage 

from the aquifer in the study area in 1940; water levels in most 

wells have been measured at least quarterly. These data are 

stored by the city in paper and electronic form and by the USGS 

in electronic form. 

During 2001 and 2002, 38 pairs of areal index wells were 

installed in and near the study area for the city of Wichita. Each 

pair of areal index wells consists of a well completed in the 

upper part of the aquifer and another well completed in the 

lower part of the aquifer. These wells were designed for use by 

the city to monitor the quality of water in the aquifer throughout 

the study area and to determine if there are any water-quality 

differences between the shallow and deep parts of the aquifer 

(Andrew C. Ziegler, U.S. Geological Survey, oral commun., 

September 2003). As water levels also can be measured in these 

wells, the wells were added to the water-level monitoring network in the study area in 2002. Water levels in these index 

wells are measured by the USGS and by Equus Beds Groundwater Management District No. 2 (GMD2). The data collected 

by the USGS are stored in the National Water Information System (NWIS) database and are available at the following URL: 

http://ks.waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/gw

The data collected by GMD2 is stored in KGS’s Water Information Storage and Retrieval Database (WIZARD) and are available at the following URL: 

http://www.kgs.ku.edu/Magellan/WaterLevels/index.html

Description of Study Area

The study area (fig. 1) includes 165 mi2 and is located in 

Harvey and Sedgwick Counties, northwest of Wichita, Kansas. 

The study area is in the Arkansas River section of the Central 

Lowlands physiographic province (Schoewe, 1949). There is 

little topographic relief in the study area. For the most part, the 

land surface slopes gently toward the major streams in the area. 

The study area is bounded on the southwest by the Arkansas 

River and on the northeast by the Little Arkansas River. The 

center or central part of the study area (fig. 1), which is referred 

to throughout this report, is the historic center of pumping in the 

study area and includes wells that supply water to the city of 

Wichita and for irrigation.

South-central Kansas has a continental climate that is characterized by large variations in seasonal temperatures, moderate 

precipitation, and windy conditions. In Wichita, Kansas, longterm daily average temperatures for 1971–2000 range from 

30.2 o

F in January to 81.0 oF in July (National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration, 2002). The long-term annual 

mean precipitation for 1940–2002 at weather stations near the 

study area (at Hutchinson, Mount Hope, Newton, Sedgwick, 

and Wichita) is 31.18 in. (National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration, 1998–2001b; Mary Knapp, State Climatologist, written commun., March 20, 2003) (fig. 2A). Most of this 

precipitation commonly occurs during spring and summer 

(May–September). Although mean annual precipitation in 2002 

was near average, about one-fourth of the year’s precipitation 

did not occur until the month of October (Mary Knapp, State 

Climatologist, Kansas State University, written commun., 

March 20, 2003)—after the growing season ended and in a 

month that normally receives less than one-tenth of the annual 

precipitation.

Previous Studies

Water-level data have been collected periodically by the 

city of Wichita in the study area since 1940 and are on file with 

the city and the USGS in Wichita and Lawrence, Kansas, 

respectively. Water-level data also have been collected by 
4 Status of Ground-Water Levels and Storage Volume in the Equus Beds Aquifer, January 2000–January 2003

0

60

10

20

30

40

50

Precipitation, in inches per year

Mean annual

precipitation

Long-term annual mean, 1940−2002 (average for

weather stations at Hutchinson, Mount Hope,

Newton, Sedgwick, and Wichita) 

5-year moving average

A. Precipitation

80,000

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

Water use, in acre-feet per year

Total city water use

for public supply

City ground-water use

for public supply

City surface-water use from

Cheney Reservoir for public 

supply Estimated ground-water 

use for agricultural irrigation

Permitted ground-water 

use for agricultural 

irrigation in study area 

B. Water use for agricultural irrigation and by city of Wichita for public supply 1938 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980

199020002003

1,480

1,350

1,360

1,370

1,380

1,390

1,400

1,410

1,420

1,430

1,440

1,450

1,460

1,470

Water-level altitude, in feet above NAVD 88

0

600

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

550

Storage-volume change, in thousands of acre-feet

Storage-volume change

Water-level altitude in well 104

Water-level altitude in well 886 

C. Water-level altitudes in observation wells 104 and 886 and Equus Beds aquifer 

 storage-volume change in study area 

1940–56 period 1957–77 period 1978–92 period 1993–2003

period

Figure 2. Relation of (A) precipitation, (B) water use for agricultural irrigation and by city of Wichita for public supply, and (C) water-level altitudes in 

observation wells 104 and 886 and Equus Beds aquifer storage-volume change in study area, 1938–January 2003 (modified from Aucott and others, 1998). 

Source: (A) precipitation data from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (1998–2001b) and Mary Knapp (State Climatologist, Kansas State 

University, written commun., March 20, 2003); (B) water-use data from Stramel (1956, 1967), Gerald T. Blain (city of Wichita, written commun., 1997), Joan 

Kenny (U.S. Geological Survey, written commun., 2000 and 2003), Brownie Wilson (Kansas Water Office, written commun., 2000), and Kelly Emmons 

(Kansas Department of Agriculture, Division of Water Resources, written commun., 2003); (C) water-level altitude data from Stramel (1956, 1967) and from 

data collected by city of Wichita, Equus Beds Groundwater Management District No. 2, and on file with U.S. Geological Survey, Lawrence, Kansas. 

Location of observation wells is shown in figures 4–25. Storage-volume changes from Stramel (1956, 1967), Aucott and Myers (1998), Aucott and others 

(1998), Hansen and Aucott (2001), and data on file with U.S. Geological Survey in Lawrence, Kansas.
Geology and Ground Water 5

Equus Beds Groundwater Management District No. 2 since 

1978 from wells completed in the Equus Beds aquifer (Equus 

Beds Groundwater Management District No. 2, 1995). Annual 

water-level data for the High Plains aquifer (fig. 1), which 

includes the Equus Beds aquifer, have been collected since 

1937 by the Kansas Department of Agriculture (Division of

Water Resources), USGS, and the Kansas Geological Survey 

(KGS). The data on file with the USGS in Lawrence, Kansas, 

also are stored in the NWIS database and are available at URL 

http://ks.waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/gw; data on file with the 

KGS are stored in their WIZARD database (Kansas Geological 

Survey, 2002). Historical and near-real-time data and reports 

associated with the Equus Beds Ground-Water Demonstration 

Recharge Project (Ziegler and others, 1999) are available at 

URL

http://ks.water.usgs.gov/Kansas/studies/equus/

Williams and Lohman (1949) and Stramel (1956, 1967) 

have published water levels and water-level-altitude and 

decline maps for the study area. Ross and others (1997) noted 

water-level rises in the Equus Beds aquifer from 1993 to 1997 

and attributed them largely to decreases in withdrawals by the 

city of Wichita. Aucott and Myers (1998), Aucott and others 

(1998), and Hansen and Aucott (2001) published water-level 

decline maps for the study area and discussed the changes in 

storage volume for noteworthy past and recent periods of time. 

Myers and others (1996) evaluated the hydrologic interaction 

between the Arkansas River and the Equus Beds aquifer in the 

study area. Water-level data for the Equus Beds and High Plains 

aquifers have been compiled and mapped recently in Kansas by 

Olea and Davis (2002) and Woods and Sophocleous (2002) and 

regionally by McGuire and Sharpe (1997), McGuire and Fischer (1999), and McGuire (2001).

Geology and Ground Water

Quaternary deposits occur throughout the study area primarily as alluvial deposits. These alluvial deposits, known 

locally as the Equus beds, are as much as 250 ft thick in the 

study area (fig. 3). The Equus beds consist primarily of sand and 

gravel interbedded with clay or silt but locally may consist primarily of clay with thin sand and gravel layers (Lane and Miller, 

1965a; Myers and others, 1996). The middle part of the deposits generally has more fine-grained material than the lower and 

upper parts (Lane and Miller, 1965b; Myers and others, 1996).

The Wellington Formation of Permian age underlies the 

Quaternary deposits in the study area and forms the bedrock 

confining unit below these deposits. The Wellington Formation 

is about 700 ft thick (Bayne, 1956) and consists of three members—the lower anhydrite member, about 200 ft thick; the 

Hutchinson Salt Member, about 300 ft thick; and the upper 

shale member, about 200 ft thick (Myers and others, 1996). Dissolution of the Hutchinson Salt Member has resulted in subsidence of the overlying upper shale member, formation of low 

areas in the bedrock surface, and concurrent accumulation of 

alluvial deposits that now compose the Equus Beds aquifer 

(fig. 3) (Myers and others, 1996).

The Equus Beds aquifer is the easternmost extension of the 

High Plains aquifer in Kansas (Stullken and others, 1985; 

Hansen and Aucott, 2001). The Equus beds are an important 

source of ground water because of the generally shallow depth 

to the water table, the large saturated thickness, and the generally good water quality. Near the Arkansas River, the water 

table may be as little as 10 ft below land surface. Farther from 

the Arkansas River and near the Little Arkansas River, the 

water table is at a greater depth, depending on the altitude of the 

land surface and the amount of water-level decline that has been 

caused by ground-water withdrawals. The maximum saturated 

thickness of the Equus Beds aquifer within the study area, 

almost 250 ft, is near the Arkansas River and corresponds to the 

lowest areas of the underlying bedrock surface (fig. 3).

Ground-Water-Level Changes

Ground-water-level declines can result from pumpage, 

decreased recharge resulting from less-than-average precipitation, and other factors. Droughts, such as occurred during 

1952–56 and 1988–92 (fig. 2A), tend to decrease the amount of 

recharge available and increase the demand for and thus pumpage of ground water (fig. 2B), resulting in increased water-level 

declines (fig. 2C). Periods of greater-than-average rainfall, such 

as occurred in 1957–62 (fig. 2A), tend to increase the amount of 

recharge available and decrease the demand for and thus pumpage of ground water (fig. 2B), resulting in water-level rises 

(fig. 2C). If these water-level declines or rises are large enough, 

they may locally alter the direction of ground-water flow.

Aucott and Myers (1998) identified four noteworthy periods of water-level change (fig. 2C): 1940–56, the initial waterlevel decline period when pumpage began in the study area, 

which includes a phase of accelerated declines in the mid-1950s 

coinciding with drought conditions; 1957–77, a period of general equilibrium with relatively stable city pumpage and water 

levels and increasing irrigation pumpage that became significant in the late 1970s; 1978–92, another period of water-level 

declines and increased city and irrigation pumpage due to 

increased demands and drought conditions; and 1993 to 1998, a 

period of water-level rises associated with generally greaterthan-average precipitation and decreased city pumpage. The 

first three periods have been well documented by Aucott and 

Myers (1998) and will not be described in this report. According to Hansen and Aucott (2001), the fourth period—the period 

of water-level rises seen by Aucott and Myers (1998) during 

1993 to 1998—did not end in 1998 but rather continued during 

1998 to 2000.

Description of noteworthy periods of water-level change 

in the study area is facilitated by the use of hydrographs of water 

levels in observation wells 104 and 886 (fig. 2C). The 

hydrograph of well 104 serves as a representative descriptor of 

agricultural irrigation effects near the northern edge of the study 
6 Status of Ground-Water Levels and Storage Volume in the Equus Beds Aquifer, January 2000–January 2003

area; the hydrograph of well 886 serves as a representative 

descriptor of historical water-level changes in an area of maximum water-level decline near the historic center of pumping by 

the city of Wichita in the central part of the study area. 

In 1993, the period of general water-level rise—shown by 

the hydrographs of water levels in both wells 104 and 886 

(fig. 2C)—began with greater-than-average precipitation 

(fig. 2A). An important factor in the water-level rise in well 886 

was decreased city pumpage from the aquifer that accompanied 

increased city use of Cheney Reservoir as a water-supply source 

(Ross and others, 1997) (fig. 2B). As a result, city pumpage 

from the aquifer in the study area went from being greater than 

one-half to slightly less than one-third of Wichita’s water usage 

during 1993–2002 (fig. 2B). This shifting of water sources was 

a part of the city of Wichita’s Integrated Local Water Supply 

Plan (Warren and others, 1995). 

Generally greater-than-average precipitation and thus 

increased recharge since 1993 and through 2000 may account 

for part of the rise in water levels seen in wells 104 and 886 during this period. The resulting water levels in 2000 were similar 

to levels measured in well 886 in the late 1970s (fig. 2C). Following 2000 and until January 2003, water levels in wells 104 

and 886 generally declined or remained relatively stable (fig. 

2C). Whether this represents the end of the period of general 

water-level rise that began in 1993 is not clear at this time 

(2003). The lack of continued water-level rises in 2001 and 

2002 probably is due to decreases in precipitation (fig. 2A) and 

increases in irrigation pumpage (fig. 2B). Precipitation generally was less during 2000–02 than during the 5 preceding years 

(fig. 2A), and irrigation pumpage in the study area, which was 

less than or similar to city pumpage during 1989–97 and slightly 

greater than city pumpage during 1999–2000, was almost double city pumpage in 2002 (fig. 2B). The consistently large seasonal water-level variations in well 104 probably are due to irrigation pumpage. Irrigation water-use amounts reported prior to 

1989 are not plotted in figure 2B because of incomplete reporting of water-use data before 1989 (Lane Letourneau, Kansas 

Department of Agriculture, Division of Water Resources, oral 

commun., August 2, 2000). Estimated ground-water use for irrigation in the study area in 2001 was less than what is permitted 

by the State of Kansas (fig. 2B); thus, increased irrigation water 

use in the study area could become a factor during dry years.

The use of hydrographs along with the use of water-levelaltitude and water-level-change maps and tables and graphs of 

changes in storage volume can provide a more complete picture 

of changes in hydrologic conditions than the use of just one of 

these graphic tools. Hydrographs of individual wells are important for indicating changes at a specific time and can be used to 

infer the effects of water-level changes at that point. Such 

effects could include dewatered shallow wells or increased 

Confining unit

0 1 2 3 4 5 MILES

0 1 2 3 4 5 KILOMETERS

VERTICAL SCALE GREATLY EXAGGERATED

DATUM IS NGVD 1929

Trace of section shown in figure 1

1,700

1,600

1,500

1,400

1,300

1,200

1,100

1,000

900

800

700

600

1,700

1,600

1,500

1,400

1,300

1,200

1,100

1,000

900

800

700

600

Arkansas River

Little Arkansas River

Quaternary deposits Projected pre-dissolution

top of Hutchinson Salt 

Member

Bedrock surface

Projected pre-dissolution

top of lower anhydrite member

of Wellington Formation

Lower anhydrite member

of Wellington Formation

Upper shale

member of

Wellington

Formation

Hutchinson 

Salt Member of 

Wellington Formation

FEET FEET

SW NE

Equus Beds aquifer

Figure 3. Generalized geologic section (from Leonard and Kleinschmidt, 1976; Myers and others, 1996).
Ground-Water-Level Changes 7

pumping costs to lift water from greater depths. Water-levelaltitude maps show the gradient and direction of ground-water 

flow over a large area at a particular time. A single water-levelaltitude map cannot indicate the distribution and extent of areas 

affected by water-level declines or rises. However, water-levelchange maps can be used to illustrate the areal distribution and 

extent of water-level declines and rises. Tables and graphs 

showing changes in storage volume, which are derived from 

water-level-change maps and represent a decrease (or increase) 

in the ground-water resource available for use, are a good measure of the cumulative effects of pumping and climatic conditions on the aquifer. 

 Water-level-altitude maps for August 1940, October 

1992, April 2000, and January 2003 (figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7) were 

constructed from available water-level data from wells to illustrate water-level conditions in the study area at selected times. 

Figures 6 and 7 include average daily surface-water-level altitude measurements computed for selected days from data automatically collected by equipment at U.S. Geological Survey 

gaging stations on the Little Arkansas River. No gaging stations on the Arkansas River are in the study area. Figure 7 also 

includes water-level-altitude measurements from the areal 

index wells. In most cases the measured water levels and computed water-level altitudes and declines for each pair of shallow 

and deep areal index wells were similar to each other and to 

nearby wells, indicating that the aquifer is well connected 

hydraulically in those areas. Where significant differences 

occur between water levels in an areal-index-well pair, the shallow and deep parts of the aquifer are less well connected 

hydraulically due to semiconfined conditions. In these areas, 

the water-level altitudes and declines were used from the well 

of the areal-index-well pair that indicated a better hydraulic 

connection to the part of the aquifer to which nearby wells are 

open than did the other well in the pair. Water-level altitudes 

and declines from deep areal index wells IW–1, IW–2, and 

IW–4 were used because they were similar to those of nearby 

wells indicating that the aquifer was better connected hydraulically between these deep areal index wells and the nearby wells 

than between the shallow areal index wells and the nearby 

wells. In all other areal-index-well pairs, the water-level altitudes and declines in the shallow wells were used because they 

indicated that the aquifer was as well or better connected 

hydraulically between the shallow areal index wells and the 

nearby wells than between the deep areal index wells and the 

nearby wells.

Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7, respectively, illustrate conditions 

during predevelopment (August 1940), record low water levels 

in October 1992, maximum recovery to date following the 

record low water levels (April 2000), and current conditions 

(January 2003). Prior to pumpage from the Equus Beds aquifer 

in 1940, near-predevelopment conditions existed in the study 

area (Williams and Lohman, 1949; Aucott and Myers, 1998). 

The August 1940 water-level-altitude map from Stramel (1956) 

that was modified by Aucott and Myers (1998) (fig. 4) shows 

that ground water flowed generally from west to east and discharged to the Little Arkansas River. Water-level-altitude maps 

for August 1940 and January 1955 (Stramel, 1956); for January 

1957, January 1970, January 1993, and January 1998 (Aucott 

and Myers, 1998); for January 1997 (Aucott and others, 1998); 

for October 1992 and January 2000 (Hansen and Aucott, 2001); 

and for April 2000 and January 2003 (figs. 6 and 7) indicate 

that, following development, ground-water flow remained from 

west to east, but that between the central part of the study area 

and the Little Arkansas River and in the vicinity of Halstead and 

Sedgwick, the flow generally became more southerly and more 

parallel to the river. Flow in the aquifer in the central part of the 

study area was less southerly during January 2003 than in April 

2000 (compare figs. 6 and 7), which probably was due to the 

continued decrease in city pumpage in the study area during 

this period.

Water-level change maps were constructed from available 

water-level data to show changes between August 1940 (predevelopment) and quarter-year intervals from January 2000 to 

January 2003 (figs. 8–20). In constructing these maps, if a 1940 

water-level measurement did not exist for a well in the study 

area, one was interpolated from the August 1940 water-level 

altitude map (fig. 4). In figures 18, 19, and 20 where substantial 

differences between water-level-decline values shown for an 

areal index well and a nearby Equus beds historic observation 

well indicated improbable hydrologic conditions, the most 

probable value was used, and the value associated with the other 

well was ignored when constructing the lines of equal waterlevel decline. Some of these substantial differences may be due 

to the variability of the aquifer material over short distances or 

to water-level changes caused by pumping or precipitation that 

occurred between when the areal index wells and the rest of the 

wells in the study were measured.

The shapes of the water-level change contours since 

August 1940 for the period January 2000 to January 2003 

(figs. 8–20) are similar to those published for recent years 

(Aucott and Myers, 1998; Aucott and others, 1998; Hansen and 

Aucott, 2001). Comparison of figures 8–20 shows the annual 

cycle of water-level declines and rises that generally occurs in 

the study area. Typically, the largest water-level declines occur 

during summer or fall when agricultural irrigation and city 

pumpage are greatest. This is shown most distinctly by the 

expansion of areas with water-level declines of 20 or more feet 

since 1940 during 2000–02 in the months of July and October 

(figs. 10, 11, 14, 15, 18, and 19) as compared to the areas with 

declines of 20 or more feet during 2000–03 in the months of 

January and April (figs. 8, 9, 12, 13, 16, 17, and 20). The maximum water-level decline since August 1940 for the period January 2000 to January 2003 was 29.54 ft in July 2002 at well 3 

in the northern part of the study area (fig. 18). As vegetation and 

human water use decrease following the summer months, so 

does agricultural irrigation and city pumpage, resulting in 

water-level rises that can continue into the following spring. 

The maps of water-level changes since August 1940 for the 

period January 2000 to January 2003 show these water-level 

rises most obviously as the decrease in the size or disappearance 

of the areas with declines of 20 ft or more during January and 

April (figs. 8, 9, 12, 13, 16, 17, and 20). The maximum waterlevel rise since August 1940 for the period January 2000 to 
8 Status of Ground-Water Levels and Storage Volume in the Equus Beds Aquifer, January 2000–January 2003

T.

25

S.

T.

24

S.

T.

23

S.

R. 3 W. R. 2 W. R. 1 W.

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital

data, 1:100,000, 1983 

Universal Transverse Mercator Projection, Zone 14

Kisiwa

Little

Little

Arkansas

Arkansas

River

River

River

Emma

Creek

West

Emma

Creek

Creek

Sand

Creek

Arkansas

877

889

1

2

3 4

5

821 6

878

506 854

892

63

7

8

9

10

11 12

14

16

17

18

886

15

13

19 20

21

23

24

22 839

894

886

853

817

25

833

832

826 825

810

12

815

812

816 870 842

840

307

Mount 

Hope

Patterson

Burrton

Bentley

Sedgwick

Halstead

Valley

Center

HARVEY COUNTY

SEDGWICK COUNTY

43

814

0 1 2 3 4 MILES

0 1 2 3 4 KILOMETERS

Study area

Water-level contour—Shows altitude of water 

 level, August 1940. Dashed where approximately 

 located. Contour interval 5 feet. Datum is NGVD 1929

Approximate direction of ground-water flow

Well hydrograph shown in figure 2

Equus beds historic observation well 1

EXPLANATION

1,375

30'

East

Emma

Middle

Emma

Creek

Creek

Upper number is well identification number. Lower

number is water-level altitude, in feet above NGVD 29.

Water-level measurements were made by city 

of Wichita personnel.

97 ̊ 97 22'30"  ̊37'30"

38 ̊

37 ̊52'30"

1,438

1,400

1,381

1,394

1,405

1,409

1,409

1,409

1,402 1,407

1,407

1,400 1,394

1,398 1,404

1,395

1,363

1,377

1,389

1,376

1,376

1,378

1,382 1,380

1,374

1,384

1,356

1,369

1,371

1,402

1,412

1,412

1,409

1,408

1,413

1,413

1,415

1,416

1,414

1,429

1,396 1,390

1,388

1,377

1,357

1,343

1,350

1,334

1,334

1,369

1,418

1,379

1370

1,410

1,405

1,400

1,395 1,390

1,385

1,380

1,375

1,370

1,365

1,360

1,355

1,350

1,340

1,335

1,345

1,415

1,425

1,420

1,430

1,435

1,440

1,410

1,405

1,400

1,395

1,390

1,385

1,380

1,375

1,370

1,365

1,360

1,355

1,350

1,415

1,425

1,420

1,430

1,435

1,440

1,398

Figure 4. Water-level altitudes in Equus Beds aquifer in study area for August 1940 (modified from Stramel, 1956, and Aucott and 

Myers, 1998).
Ground-Water-Level Changes 9

T.

25

S.

T.

24

S.

T.

23

S.

R. 3 W. R. 2 W. R. 1 W.

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital

data, 1:100,000, 1983 

Universal Transverse Mercator Projection, Zone 14

Kisiwa

Little

Little

Arkansas

River

River

River

Emma

Creek

West

Emma

Creek

Creek

Sand

Creek

Arkansas

Mount 

Hope

Patterson

Burrton

Bentley

Sedgwick

Halstead

Valley

Center

HARVEY COUNTY

SEDGWICK COUNTY

0 1 2 3 4 MILES

0 1 2 3 4 KILOMETERS

30'

East

Emma

Middle

Emma

Creek

Creek

Arkansas

97

 ̊ 97 22'30"  ̊

37'30"

38 ̊

37 ̊52'30"

1,440

1,435

1,430

1,425

1,420

1,415

1,410

1,405

1,400

1,395

1,390

1,380

1,385

1,385

1,380

1,375

1,370

1,365

1,360

1,355

1,350

1,345

1,340

1,350

1,345

1,355

1,355

1,360

1,365

1,370

1,375

1,380

1,395

1,410

1,405

1,400

1,415

1,420

1,425

1,430

1,435

1,440

1,390

1,335

1,445

1,400

1,400

1,408

1,416

1,435

1,430

1,428

1,433

1,439

1,423

1,422

1,420

1,424

1,428

1,418

1,414

1,411

1,405

1,411

1,391

1,398

1,398 1,389

1,390 1,384

1,373

1,373

1,390 1,384

1,386 1,382

1,391

1,435

1,445

1,395

1,380

1,372

1,368 1,361

1,381

1,362

1,378

1,371

1,355

1,366 1,360 1,364

1,359

1,362

1,362

1,357

1,363 1,354

1,353 1,352

1,352

1,360

1,373 1,378

1,346

1,346

1,360 1,354

1,351

1,347

1,342

1,332

1,332

1,352 1,352

1,351

1,373

1,358 1,350 1,350 1,348

1,348

1,348

1,348

1,349 1,347

1,344 1,345

1,346

1,342

1,353 1,349

1,354 1,352

1,351

1,364

1,356

1,361

1,362 1,360

1,361 1,365

1,366

1,399

1,397

1,401

1,392

1,413

1,413

1,391

1,394

1,400

1,387

1,377

1,365

1,380

1,373

1,382 1,368 1,366

1,368 1,367 1,365 1,365

1,363

1,359 1,354

1,353

1,352

1,352

1,352

1,362

1,390

 

1

2

3 4

506 854

7

12

14 13 894

817

18

886

15

20

853

832

833

21 22

23

24 25

307

815

826 825

812

810

12

814

1,402

877

889

870 842

840

839

5

892

Low head dam 

on Little Arkansas 

River at Halstead

(approximate altitude 

is 1,375 feet at top

of dam)

886 Study area

Water-level contour—Shows altitude of water 

 level, October 1992. Dashed where approximately 

 located. Contour interval 5 feet. Datum is NGVD 29

Approximate direction of ground-water flow

Well hydrograph shown in figure 2

Equus beds historic observation well 1

EXPLANATION

Upper number is well identification number. Lower

number is water-level altitude, in feet above NGVD 29.

Water-level measurements were made by city 

of Wichita personnel.

1,375 1,380

1,360

P32

P31

104

3036

102

P30 106

P29

101

105

103

3001

3038

1191 118

3039

P28

P27

P35,

3034

890

110

47

109

131

130 108

132

45

44

41

42 16

17

26

50 49 112

3033

1190

107

111

3002

133

3032

1186

123

121

119

120

51 1171 27 28

1179

1175

113

122

1174

1187

117

1176 124

125

39

37

36

34 35

38

40

114

3050

3044 115

54

55

52 33

29 30 31 32 3041 3004 53

834

3035

3045

Figure 5. Water-level altitudes in Equus Beds aquifer in study area for October 1992 (modified from Hansen and Aucott, 2001).
10 Status of Ground-Water Levels and Storage Volume in the Equus Beds Aquifer, January 2000–January 2003

Low head dam 

on Little Arkansas 

River at Halstead

(approximate altitude 

is 1,375 feet at top

of dam)

T.

25

S.

T.

24

S.

T.

23

S.

R. 3 W. R. 2 W. R. 1 W.

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital

data, 1:100,000, 1983 

Universal Transverse Mercator Projection, Zone 14

Kisiwa

Little

Little

Arkansas

River

River

River

Emma

Creek

West

Emma

Creek

Creek

Sand

Creek

Arkansas

Mount 

Hope

Patterson

Burrton

Sedgwick

Halstead

Valley

Center

HARVEY COUNTY

SEDGWICK COUNTY

0 1 2 3 4 MILES

0 1 2 3 4 KILOMETERS

Study area

Water-level contour—Shows altitude of 

 water level, April 2000. Dashed where 

 approximately located. Contour interval 

 5 feet. Datum is NAVD 88 

Approximate direction of ground-

 water flow

Artificial recharge demonstration site—

 Halstead site in operation May 1997–

 June 2002; Sedgwick site in operation 

 April 1998–November 2000

Gaging station—Upper number is station number;

 lower number is water-level altitude, in feet above

 NAVD 88

Well hydrograph shown in figure 2

Equus beds historic observation well

EXPLANATION

30'

East

Emma

Middle

Emma

Creek

Creek

Arkansas

97

 ̊ 97 22'30"  ̊

37'30"

38 ̊

37 ̊52'30"

1,415

1,415

1,410

1,420

1,430

1,425

1,390

1,395

1,400

1,405

1,380

1,385

1,435

1,375

1,370

1,365

1,360

1,355

1,440

1,445

1,450

1,345

1,350

1,340

1,335

1,330

Halstead

recharge

site

Sedgwick

recharge

site

1

8

9

5

4 3

2

7

6

13

16

22

25

24

23 21

19 20

18

14

12

33

34 31

30

42

55

54

53

52

51

50 49

48

46 47

45

44

41

40

39

38

37

36

35

32

29

28

27

26

17

15

10

11

892

870 842

880

889

886

853

840

839

833

832

817

815

506

307

P31

P32

P30

P28

P29

101

P35

P27

890

133

130

126

810

124

122

120

119

118

117

115

114

113

112

111

110

109

108

107

105 104

103

102

826 825

814

816

878

894

821

3032

3001

3035

3050

3050

3045

3044

3041

3038

3034

3033

3004

3002

1191

854

1190

1187

1186

1179

1176

1175

1174

1171

3036

2084

1189

1173

3005

07144200

07143672

07144100

07143672

1,328

1,378

1,345

1,378

1,389

1,363

1,431

1,397 1,390

1,406

1,385

1,380

1,408

1,390

1,366

1,361

1,363

1,365

1,364

1,368 1,369

1,377

1,384

1,388 1,384

1,397

1,392

1,395

1,398

1,406

1,381

1,372

1,383

1,365

1,361

1,365

1,371

1,355

1,334

1,386

1,367

1,438

1,432

1,436

1,444

1,440

1,396

1,362

1,365

1,369

1,409

1,416

1,409

1,421

1,441

1,450

1,391

1,392

1,395

1,396

1,398

1,377 1,378

1,373

1,409 1,403

1,409

1,411

1,412

1,360

1,359

1,358

1,361

1,362

1,360 1,362 1,363

1,374

1,367

1,370

1,376

1,366

1,366

1,373

1,380

1,415

1,386

1,428

1,381

1,404

1,398

1,375

1,387

1,374

1,364

1,371

1,356

1,357

1,364

1,353

1,377

1,427

1,404

1,430

1,348

1,353

1,363

1,370

1,362

1,380

1,360

1,385

1,397

1,365

1,363

1,378

1,412

1,417

1,419

1,383

1,405 1,424

1,410

1,412

1,416

1,358 1,375

1,349

1,364

1,383

1,371

1,380

1,381

1,397

1,386

1,404 1,396

1,386

1,377

1,389

886

1,381

Upper number is well identification number. Lower

number is water-level altitude, in feet above NAVD 88.

Water-level measurements in wells were made by city of 

Wichita personnel and Equus Beds Groundwater

Management District No. 2 personnel. Water-level 

measurements at gaging stations were collected by

U.S. Geological Survey.

Figure 6. Water-level altitudes in Equus Beds aquifer in study area for April 2000.
Ground-Water-Level Changes 11

T.

25

S.

T.

24

S.

T.

23

S.

R. 3 W. R. 2 W. R. 1 W.

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital

data, 1:100,000, 1983 

Universal Transverse Mercator Projection, Zone 14

Kisiwa

Little

Little

Arkansas

River

River

River

Emma

Creek

West

Emma

Creek

Creek

Sand

Creek

Arkansas

Mount 

Hope

Patterson

Burrton

Sedgwick

Halstead

Valley

Center

HARVEY COUNTY

SEDGWICK COUNTY

0 1 2 3 4 MILES

0 1 2 3 4 KILOMETERS

30'

East

Emma

Middle

Emma

Creek

Creek

Arkansas

Low head dam 

on Little Arkansas 

River at Halstead

(approximate altitude 

is 1,375 feet at top

of dam)

97

 ̊ 97 22'30"  ̊

37'30"

38 ̊

37 ̊52'30"

1,343

1,377

Halstead

recharge

site

Sedgwick

recharge

site

1,415

1,405

1,410

1,420

1,425

1,390

1,385

1,380

1,375

1,430

1,365

1,370

1,435

1,360

1,440

1,355

1,350

1,345

1,340

1,445

1,335

1,330

1,395

1,400

1,365

1,376

1,429

1,393 1,387

1,400

1,386

1,378

1,407

1,390

1,365

1,360

1,363

1,362

1,365

1,370 1,369

1,377

1,385

1,379 1,390

1,397

1,381

1,389

1,397

1,379

1,379

1,368

1,377

1,364

1,360

1,360

1,368

1,350

1,330

1,381

1,365

1,437

1,343

1,433

1,423

1,431

1,438

1,434

1,397

1,359

1,364

1,367

1,408

1,407

1,405

1,417

1,436

1,445

1,388

1,388

1,389

1,393

1,394

1,378 1,377

1,376

1,401 1,407

1,407

1,409

1,410

1,354

1,354

1,356

1,356

1,359

1,358 1,360 1,358

1,371

1,365

1,368

1,376

1,364

1,368

1,376

1,412

1,381

1,425

1,375

1,400

1,397

1,374

1,373

1,357

1,370

1,352

1,356

1,357

1,380 1,356

1,423

1,401

1,426

1,344

1,350

1,359

1,361

1,362

1,374

1,354

1,381

1,392

1,358

1,361

1,372

1,408

1,416

1,416

1,379

1,397 1,417

1,409 1,404

1,350

1,359

1,382

1,371

1,383

1,383

1,399

1,386

1,401 1,395

1,380 1,392

1,405

1,378

1,390

07144200

07144100

07143672

1,327

IW-38

IW-36 IW-37

IW-35

IW-34 IW-33

IW-32

IW-31

IW-30

IW-29 IW-28 IW-27

IW-26

IW-24 IW-25

IW-22 IW-23 IW-21

IW-20

IW-19

IW-18

IW-17 IW-16

IW-15

IW-14

IW-13

IW-12

IW-11

IW-09 IW-10

IW-08

IW-07

IW-05 IW-06

IW-04

IW-03

IW-02

IW-01

1

8

9

5

4 3

2

7

6

13

16

22

25

24

23

21

19 20

18

14

12

33

31

30

42

55

54

53

52

51

50 49

48

46 47

45

44

41

40

39

38

37

36

34

35

32

29

28

27

26

17

15

10

11

892

870 842

880

889

886

853

840

839

833

832

817

815

506

854

307

P31

877

P32

P30

P28

P29

101

P35

P27

890

133

130

126 814

825

810

124

122

120

119

118

117

115

114

113

112

111

110

109

108

107

105 104

103

102

826

816

878

821

3032

3001

3035

3050

3045

3044

3041

3038

3034

3033

3004

3002

1191

1190

1187

1186

1179

1176

1175

1171 1174

3036

2084

1189

1173

3005

1,347

1,366 1,355

1,377

1,348 1,354

1,366

1,382

1,390

1,357 1,363 1,378

1,395

1,420 1,408

1,364 1,358 1,377

1,390

1,407

1,423

1,367

1,379

1,389

1,407

1,424

1,367

1,378

1,413 1,395

1,424

1,381

1,400

1,414

1,420

1,395

1,411

1,416

886

07144200

3050

1,415

Study area

Water-level contour—Shows altitude of 

 water level, January 2003. Dashed where 

 approximately located. Contour interval 

 5 feet. Datum is NAVD 88

Approximate direction of ground-

 water flow

Artificial recharge demonstration site—

 Halstead site in operation May 1997–

 June 2002; Sedgwick site in operation 

 April 1998–November 2000

Gaging station—Upper number is station number;

 lower number is water-level altitude, in feet above

 NAVD 88

Well hydrograph shown in figure 2

Equus beds historic observation well

Equus beds areal index well

EXPLANATION

Upper number is well identification number. Lower

number is water-level altitude, in feet above NAVD 88.

Water-level measurements in wells were made by city of 

Wichita personnel and Equus Beds Groundwater

Management District No. 2 personnel. Water-level 

measurements at gaging stations were collected by

U.S. Geological Survey.

1,364

1,379

1,327

1,420

IW-04

Figure 7. Water-level altitudes in Equus Beds aquifer in study area for January 2003.
12 Status of Ground-Water Levels and Storage Volume in the Equus Beds Aquifer, January 2000–January 2003

T.

25

S.

T.

24

S.

T.

23

S.

R. 3 W. R. 2 W. R. 1 W.

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital

data, 1:100,000, 1983 

Universal Transverse Mercator Projection, Zone 14

Kisiwa

Little

Little

Arkansas

River

River

River

Emma

Creek

West

Emma

Creek

Creek

Sand

Creek

Arkansas

Mount 

Hope

Patterson

Burrton

Sedgwick

Halstead

Valley

Center

HARVEY COUNTY

SEDGWICK COUNTY

0 1 2 3 4 MILES

0 1 2 3 4 KILOMETERS

30'

East

Emma

Middle

Emma

Creek

Creek

Arkansas

97

 ̊ 97 22'30"  ̊

37'30"

38 ̊

37 ̊52'30"

0

0

0

0

+2

-4

-4

-6

-6

-8

-8

-10

-10

-12

-12

-2

-2

-14

-14

-16

-16

-18

-20

-18

-22

-12

-20

-14

1

8

9

5

4 3

2

7

6

13

16

22

25

24

23 21

19 20

18

14

12

33

34

31

30

42

55

54

53

52

51

50 49

48

46 47

45

44

41

40

39

38

37

36

35

32

29

28

27

26

17

15

10

11

892

870 842

880

889

886

853

840

839

833

832

817

815

506

307

P31

P32

P30

P29

101

P35

P27

890

133

130

126

810

124

122

120

118

117

115

114

113

112

111

110

109

108

107

105 104

103

102

816

878

894

3032

3001

3035

3050

3045

3044

3041

3038

3034

3033

3004

3002

1191

1190

1187

1186

1179

1176

1175

1174

1171

3036

2084 1189

1173

3005

+0.55

-1.40 -0.93

+0.70

-6.78

-6.98

-0.63

-1.17

-2.23

-1.27

+0.98 +1.13

-0.70

-0.72

-1.32

+2.70

-5.83

+0.45

+2.23

-6.38

-8.70

-5.02

-5.60

-5.30

-8.45

-8.95

-1.88

-2.27

-3.47

-6.20

-8.60

-9.23

-1.80

-1.56

-0.05

-1.55

-0.67

-9.93

-3.27

-7.89

-6.00

-3.49

-4.42

-1.02

-5.85

-3.00

-1.76

-4.39

-1.85

-1.00

-1.03

-2.22

+1.40

+2.12

-0.99

-0.60

-2.29

-0.80

-8.14

-1.36

-2.76

-3.97

-7.60

-4.66 -4.25

-8.90

+2.28

-6.99

-18.70

-19.30

-14.39

-18.96

-21.42

-19.09

-10.96

-21.60

-16.16

-13.59

-17.05

-14.68 -19.60

-16.47 -21.89

-17.86

-21.17

-21.82 -20.73

-17.20

-17.25

-17.48

-16.67

-19.96

-13.10

-10.87

-12.29

-21.16

-11.20

-11.79

-10.34

-10.95

-11.65

-17.65 -14.30

-11.90

-10.15

-10.90

-10.26

-10.70

-11.73

-14.60

-15.97

-17.58

-10.75

-14.99

-14.27

-13.48

-10.92

-10.60

-19.68

-19.85

-15.09 -21.75

-15.19

-17.93

-22.03

-18.36

-10.77

-21.85

Halstead

recharge

site

Sedgwick

recharge

site

-18.96

886

-19.96

1

-10

Study area

Area of water-level decline, in feet

10 – 20

20 – 30

Line of equal change of water level—

 Interval 2 feet. Dashed where 

 approximately located

Artificial recharge demonstration site—

 Halstead site in operation May 1997–

 June 2002; Sedgwick site in operation 

 April 1998–November 2000

Well hydrograph shown in figure 2

Equus beds historic observation well

EXPLANATION

Upper number is well identification number. Lower

number is water-level change, in feet. Negative number

indicates water level was lower than August 1940.

Water-level measurements were made by city of 

Wichita personnel.

Depletion of storage volume in study area between August 1940 and January 2000 was 126,000 acre-feet.

Figure 8. Water-level change in Equus Beds aquifer in study area, August 1940–January 2000 (from Hansen and Aucott, 2001).
Ground-Water-Level Changes 13

T.

25

S.

T.

24

S.

T.

23

S.

R. 3 W. R. 2 W. R. 1 W.

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital

data, 1:100,000, 1983 

Universal Transverse Mercator Projection, Zone 14

Kisiwa

Little

Little

Arkansas

River

River

River

Emma

Creek

West

Emma

Creek

Creek

Sand

Creek

Arkansas

Mount 

Hope

Patterson

Burrton

Sedgwick

Halstead

Valley

Center

HARVEY COUNTY

SEDGWICK COUNTY

0 1 2 3 4 MILES

0 1 2 3 4 KILOMETERS East

Emma

Middle

Emma

Creek

Creek

Arkansas

30' 97

 ̊ 97 22'30"  ̊

37'30"

38 ̊

37 ̊52'30" 0

0

-4

-4

-6

-6

-8

-8

-10

-10

-12

-12

-2

+2

+2 +4

+6

-2

+2

+2

-14

-14

-14

-16

-16

-18

-18

-20

-20

-12

-20

1

8

9

5

4 3

2

7

6

13

16

22

25

24

23 21

20 19

18

14

12

33

34

31

30

42

55

54

53

52

51

50 49

48

46 47

45

44

41

40

39

38

37

36

35

32

29

28

27

26

17

15

10

11

892

870 842

880

889

886

853

840

839

833

832

817

815

826

506

307

P31

P32

P30

P29

P28

101

P35

P27

890

133

130

126

810

124

122

120

118

117

115

114

113

112

111

110

109

108

107

105 104

103

102

816

878

821

894

3032

3001

3035

3050

3045

3044

3041

3038

3034

3033

3004

3002

1191

1190

1187

1186

1179

1176

1175

1174

1171

3036

1189 2084

1173

3005

Halstead

recharge

site

Sedgwick

recharge

site

0.00

+1.98

+0.12 -0.50

-6.73

+5.76

-4.86

-5.50

+1.85

-0.35

-1.64

-0.29

+4.08 +0.90

+1.48

+0.27

+2.75

+0.37

-8.09

+6.88

-4.96

+2.94

+4.77

-5.69

-5.63

-3.62

-5.39

-3.25

-8.21

-8.47

-8.05

-1.60

-1.62

-3.40

-4.91

-7.55

-9.70 -9.07 -9.96

-8.14

-0.93

-0.33

+1.62

+0.20

-8.38

+1.01

-7.45

-1.84

-7.58

-2.39

-0.10

-4.33

+1.15

-5.06

-0.45

+0.20

-4.00

+0.22

-0.40

-0.08

+5.05

+7.52

-0.25

+0.67

-0.64

+2.33

-7.10

+2.68

-1.53

-4.42

-6.43

-7.72

-0.74 -2.16

-5.03

+4.14

-8.84

+1.32

-5.53

-8.65

-13.40

-20.12

-15.17

-10.71

-20.09

-14.98

-13.06

-15.08

-10.85 -18.21

-15.43 -21.62

-16.79

-19.99

-20.80 -18.79

-16.17

-10.50 -12.96

-11.21

-17.28

-11.90

-10.76

-10.86

-19.05

-10.25

-10.80

-10.70

-10.35

-17.95 -12.64

-18.50

-11.45

-10.24

-13.28

-12.66

-16.87

-13.80

-14.07

-13.26

-18.41

-18.10

-21.39 -13.55

-14.76

-17.46

-20.73

-17.16 -12.15

-20.35

-18.74

-6.73

886

-17.28

1

-10

Study area

Area of water-level decline, in feet

10 – 20

20 – 30

Line of equal change of water level—

 Interval 2 feet. Dashed where

 approximately located

Artificial recharge demonstration site—

 Halstead site in operation May 1997–

 June 2002; Sedgwick site in operation 

 April 1998–November 2000

Well hydrograph shown in figure 2

Equus beds historic observation well

EXPLANATION

Upper number is well identification number. Lower

number is water-level change, in feet. Negative number

indicates water level was lower than August 1940.

Water-level measurements were made by city of 

Wichita personnel.

Depletion of storage volume in study area between August 1940 and April 2000 was 101,000 acre-feet.

Figure 9. Water-level change in Equus Beds aquifer in study area, August 1940–April 2000.
14 Status of Ground-Water Levels and Storage Volume in the Equus Beds Aquifer, January 2000–January 2003

T.

25

S.

T.

24

S.

T.

23

S.

R. 3 W. R. 2 W. R. 1 W.

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital

data, 1:100,000, 1983 

Universal Transverse Mercator Projection, Zone 14

Kisiwa

Little

Little

Arkansas

River

River

River

Emma

Creek

West

Emma

Creek

Creek

Sand

Creek

Arkansas

Mount 

Hope

Patterson

Burrton

Sedgwick

Halstead

Valley

Center

HARVEY COUNTY

SEDGWICK COUNTY

0 1 2 3 4 MILES

0 1 2 3 4 KILOMETERS East

Emma

Middle

Emma

Creek

Creek

Arkansas

30' 97

 ̊ 97 22'30"  ̊

37'30"

38 ̊

37 ̊52'30"

0

0

0

-4

-4

-4

-6

-6

-8

-8

-10

-10

-12

-12

-2

-2

-14

-14

-16

-16

-16

-18

-18 -20

-20

-20

-22

-22

-24

-24

-22

-26-28

-20

-22

-12

-20

1

8

9

5

4 3

2

7

6

13

16

22

25

24

23 21

20

19

18

14

12

33

34 31

30

42

55

54

53

52

51

50

49

48

47 46

45

44

41

40

39

38

37

36

35

32

29

28

27

26

17

15

10

11

892

870 842

880

889

886

853

840

839

833

832

817

815

826

506

307

P31

P32

877

P30

P29

P28

101

P35

P27

890

133

130

126

810

124

122

120

118

117

115

114

113

112

111

110

109

108

107

105 104

103

102

816

878

821

894

3032

3001

3035

3050

3045

3044

3041

3038

3034

3033

3004

3002

1191

1190

1187

1186

1179

1176

1175

1171 1174

3036

2084 1189

1173

3005

-0.97

-4.12 -0.06

-9.01

-6.53

-5.77

-1.79

-0.15

-2.12

-1.11

-4.22

-0.16

-0.83

-0.89

+0.80

-2.13

-9.12

-7.73

-6.37

-0.70

+2.20

-4.27

-4.11

-3.35

-4.93

-3.59

-8.05

-8.59

-7.96

-2.40

-2.54

-0.75

-4.54

-7.15

-8.50 -7.80 -8.89

-9.47

-2.15

-2.07

-1.16

-1.43

-0.40

-2.30

-7.03

-3.18

-5.37

-4.58

-0.95

-4.55

-9.75

-1.70

-3.45

-2.23

-2.50

-3.95

-2.70

+0.23

+4.99

-0.64

-1.40

-1.60

-8.15

-7.64

-0.99

-2.00

-3.60

-6.50

+0.20

-5.67

-9.90

-19.28

-12.36

-23.13

-19.47

-17.32

-10.91

-19.77

-14.51

-11.98

-13.27

-12.12 -16.91

-14.97

-19.24

-19.25

-20.15 -20.93

-17.15

-19.22

-21.98

-21.57

-11.64

-10.71

-10.36

-10.90

-18.67

-10.56

-10.40

-10.79

-13.42

-14.21

-12.42

-18.01

-10.60

-11.93

-12.88

-12.65

-15.45

-15.45

-15.55

-12.98 -13.94

-19.18

-19.92 -22.13

-16.56

-17.16

-17.56

-17.46

-20.91 -16.77

-14.10

-16.58

-20.26

-14.20 -17.70

-20.88

-22.03

-24.96

-29.17

-20.73

Halstead

recharge

site

Sedgwick

recharge

site

-23.13

886

-22.03

1

-10

Study area

Area of water-level decline, in feet

10 – 20

20 – 30

Line of equal change of water level—

 Interval 2 feet. Dashed where 

 approximately located

Artificial recharge demonstration site—

 Halstead site in operation May 1997–

 June 2002; Sedgwick site in operation 

 April 1998–November 2000

Well hydrograph shown in figure 2

Equus beds historic observation well

EXPLANATION

Upper number is well identification number. Lower

number is water-level change, in feet. Negative number

indicates water level was lower than August 1940.

Water-level measurements were made by city of 

Wichita personnel.

Depletion of storage volume in study area between August 1940 and July 2000 was 152,000 acre-feet.

Figure 10. Water-level change in Equus Beds aquifer in study area, August 1940–July 2000.
Ground-Water-Level Changes 15

T.

25

S.

T.

24

S.

T.

23

S.

R. 3 W. R. 2 W. R. 1 W.

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital

data, 1:100,000, 1983 

Universal Transverse Mercator Projection, Zone 14

Kisiwa

Little

Little

Arkansas

River

River

River

Emma

Creek

West

Emma

Creek

Creek

Sand

Creek

Arkansas

Mount 

Hope

Patterson

Burrton

Sedgwick

Halstead

Valley

Center

HARVEY COUNTY

SEDGWICK COUNTY

0 1 2 3 4 MILES

0 1 2 3 4 KILOMETERS

30'

East

Emma

Middle

Emma

Creek

Creek

Arkansas

97

 ̊ 97 22'30"  ̊

37'30"

38 ̊

37 ̊52'30"

0

0

0

-4

-4

-6

-6

-8

-8

-10

-10

-12

-12

-2

-2

-14

-14

-16

-18

-8

-16

-18

-18

-18

-20

-20

-22

-22

-20

1

8

9

5

4 3

2

7

6

13

16

22

25

24

23 21

20

19

18

14

12

33

34 31

30

42

55

54

53

52

51

50 49

48

46 47

45

44

41

40

39

38

37

36

35 29 32

28

27

26

17

15

10

11

892

870

842

880

889

886 853

840

839

833

832

817

815

506

307

P31

P32

877

P30

P29

P28

101

P35

P27

890

133

130

126

810

124

122

120

118

117

115

114

113

112

111

110

109

108

107

105 104

103

102

816

878

821

894

3032

3001

3035

3050

3045

3044

3041

3038

3034

3033

3004

3002

1191

1190

1187

1186

1179

1176

1175

1174

826

1171

3036

1189 2084

1173

3005

-1.30

-4.13

-1.21

-3.81

-6.91

-6.91

-3.67

-1.93

-4.14

-2.34

-1.80

+0.95

-1.16

-5.75

-2.08

-1.53

-3.15

-9.95

-2.49

-6.98

-1.56

+0.48

-7.68

-9.51

-8.17

-7.24

-5.58

-9.63

-9.91

-9.48

-5.30

-9.12

-6.10

-7.80

-9.65

-4.07

-2.68

-2.85

-3.71

-2.67

-4.64

-7.90

-6.73

-7.48

-6.95

-2.39

-5.12

-7.66

-4.80

-4.98

-3.50

-2.67

-2.35

-3.93

-2.27

+3.45

-2.43

-3.48

-4.59

-7.30

-8.98

-4.48

-4.12

-4.19

-5.84

-8.77 -8.65

-4.04

-0.55

-8.44

-19.73

-12.53

-21.21

-21.18

-21.72

-12.33

-22.17

-16.54

-13.91

-14.58

-13.50 -19.72

-16.30

-21.07

-18.07

-21.00

-21.71

-19.63

-22.70

-22.26

-20.21 -12.14

-13.56

-12.00

-12.66

-21.35

-12.84

-12.27

-11.87

-16.78

-18.07 -13.82

-11.76

-12.33

-10.06

-12.32 -12.35 -12.15

-15.21

-16.35

-16.92

-15.47

-12.57

-16.10

-13.77

-11.35

-14.68

-15.42

-14.70

-19.33

-20.04

-20.67 -14.89

-14.12

-16.45 -23.17

-22.49

-15.76 -20.43

-14.54

-21.73

-22.04

-17.89

Halstead

recharge

site

Sedgwick

recharge

site

-21.21

886

-20.21

1

-10

Study area

Area of water-level decline, in feet

10 – 20

20 – 30

Line of equal change of water level—

 Interval 2 feet. Dashed where 

 approximately located

Artificial recharge demonstration site—

 Halstead site in operation May 1997–

 June 2002; Sedgwick site in operation 

 April 1998–November 2000

Well hydrograph shown in figure 2

Equus beds historic observation well

EXPLANATION

Upper number is well identification number. Lower

number is water-level change, in feet. Negative number

indicates water level was lower than August 1940.

Water-level measurements were made by city of 

Wichita personnel.

Depletion of storage volume in study area between August 1940 and October 2000 was 159,000 acre-feet.

Figure 11. Water-level change in Equus Beds aquifer in study area, August 1940–October 2000.
16 Status of Ground-Water Levels and Storage Volume in the Equus Beds Aquifer, January 2000–January 2003

T.

25

S.

T.

24

S.

T.

23

S.

R. 3 W. R. 2 W. R. 1 W.

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital

data, 1:100,000, 1983 

Universal Transverse Mercator Projection, Zone 14

Kisiwa

Little

Little

Arkansas

River

River

River

Emma

Creek

West

Emma

Creek

Creek

Sand

Creek

Arkansas

Mount 

Hope

Patterson

Burrton

Sedgwick

Halstead

Valley

Center

HARVEY COUNTY

SEDGWICK COUNTY

0 1 2 3 4 MILES

0 1 2 3 4 KILOMETERS East

Emma

Middle

Emma

Creek

Creek

Arkansas

30' 97

 ̊ 97 22'30"  ̊

37'30"

38 ̊

37 ̊52'30"

0

0

0

-4

-4

-6

-6

-8

-8

-10

-10

-12

-12

-2

-2

-14

-14

-16

-16

-18

-18

-20

-12

-20

-20

1

8

9

5

4 3

2

7

6

13

16

22

25

24

23 21

20

19

18

14

12

33

34

31

30

42

55

54

53

52

51

50 49

48

47

46

45

44

41

40

39

38

37

36

35

32

29

28

27

26

17

15

10

11

892

870 842

880

889

886

853

840

839

833

832

817

815

826

506

307

P31

P32

877

P30

P29

P27

101

P35

P27

890

133

130

126

810

124

122

120

118

117

115

114

113

112

111

110

109

108

107

105 104

103

102

816

878

821

894

3032

3001

3035

3050

3045

3044

3041

3038

3034

3033

3004

3002

1191

1190

1187

1186

1179

1176

1175

1174

1171

3036

2084 1189

1173

3005

-0.11

-2.95 -1.52

-1.63

-7.69

-7.50

-2.43

-1.97

-4.04

-2.35

+0.58

+6.24

-1.11

-3.44

-1.34

-1.39

-1.83

-8.69

+0.01

-7.15

-0.99

+0.47

-7.18

-6.89

-6.10

-7.11

-5.67

-8.76

-8.13

-8.88

-4.16

-5.09

-5.08

-6.76

-8.98

-9.17

-3.45

-2.34

-1.80

-2.03

-9.05

-1.89

-4.48

-6.17

-5.95

-5.04

-5.31

-1.79

-5.46

-5.20

-2.62

-5.12

-2.97

-2.48

-1.94

-3.01

-0.70

+2.80

-2.93

-2.30

-3.80

-3.46

-8.17

-1.92

-3.56

-4.58

-6.17

-9.50

-7.31 -6.04

-9.15

-1.67

-1.46

-6.89

-18.67

-12.13

-11.96

-19.87

-20.62

-11.64

-20.07

-14.79

-13.10

-13.26

-12.75 -16.97

-14.54 -20.52

-16.77

-19.70

-19.80 -20.38

-16.44

-14.46 -16.35

-15.32

-18.79

-11.97

-11.91

-11.31

-19.22

-11.47

-10.44

-11.42

-12.31

-15.09 -13.29

-17.45

-12.05

-12.87

-10.34 -11.10

-11.01

-13.72

-13.54

-16.59

-10.09

-14.34

-13.73

-10.44

-11.90

-17.96

-18.00

-20.37

-14.25

-15.18

-20.52

-17.45

-14.84

-12.50

-14.03

-20.63

Halstead

recharge

site

Sedgwick

recharge

site

-11.96

886

-18.79

1

-10

Study area

Area of water-level decline, in feet

10 – 20

20 – 30

Line of equal change of water level—

 Interval 2 feet. Dashed where 

 approximately located

Artificial recharge demonstration site—

 Halstead site in operation May 1997–

 June 2002; Sedgwick site in operation 

 April 1998–November 2000

Well hydrograph shown in figure 2

Equus beds historic observation well

EXPLANATION

Upper number is well identification number. Lower

number is water-level change, in feet. Negative number

indicates water level was lower than August 1940.

Water-level measurements were made by city of 

Wichita personnel.

Depletion of storage volume in study area between August 1940 and January 2001 was 134,000 acre-feet.

Figure 12. Water-level change in Equus Beds aquifer in study area, August 1940–January 2001.
Ground-Water-Level Changes 17

T.

25

S.

T.

24

S.

T.

23

S.

R. 3 W. R. 2 W. R. 1 W.

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital

data, 1:100,000, 1983 

Universal Transverse Mercator Projection, Zone 14

Kisiwa

Little

Little

Arkansas

River

River

River

Emma

Creek

West

Emma Creek

Creek

Sand

Creek

Arkansas

Mount 

Hope

Patterson

Burrton

Sedgwick

Halstead

Valley

Center

HARVEY COUNTY

SEDGWICK COUNTY

0 1 2 3 4 MILES

0 1 2 3 4 KILOMETERS East

Emma

Middle

Emma

Creek

Creek

Arkansas

30' 97

 ̊ 97 22'30"  ̊

37'30"

38 ̊

37 ̊52'30"

0

0

-4

-4

-6

-6

-8

-8

-10

-10

-12

-12

-12

-2

-2

+2

+4

-14

-14

-16

-16

-18

-18

-20

-20

1

8

9

5

4 3

2

7

6

13

16

22

25

24

23 21

19 20

18

14

12

33

34

31

30

42

55

54

53

52

51

50 49

48

47

46

45

44

41

40

39

38

37

36

35

32

29

28

27

26

17

15

10

11

892

870

842

880

889

886

853

840

839

833

832

817

815

826

506

307

P31

P32

P30

P29

P27

101

P35

P27

890

133

130

126

810

124

122

120

118

117

115

114

113

112

111

110

109

108

107

105 104

103

102

816

878

821

894

3032

3001

3035

3050

3045

3044

3041

3038

3034

3033

3004

3002

1191

1190

1187

1186

1176

1175

1171 1174

3036

2084

1189

1173

3005

0.00

+1.63

-0.91

-1.62

-7.19

+2.19

-6.02

-6.66

+0.66

-1.20

-2.92

-1.15

-0.70 +3.85

-0.36

-1.33

+0.31

-8.99

-7.39

+4.30

-5.99

+0.87

+1.77

-7.38

-6.58

-3.98

-5.30

-3.87

-8.17

-8.91

-9.00

-3.20

-4.20

-3.56

-5.20

-7.46

-9.40 -9.24 -9.44

-8.13

-2.30

-1.06

+0.30

-0.57

-7.14

+0.06

-7.60

-3.48

-6.95

-3.18

-7.40

-4.10

-5.24

-0.84

-1.35

-4.85

-1.74

-0.53

+0.56

-0.95

+3.26

+2.36

-2.65

-0.21

-1.82

+0.56

-6.41

+1.52

-2.22

-4.68

-7.61

-6.30

-1.87 -3.57

-6.12

+3.00

-9.86

-1.73

-6.53

-9.05

-17.84

-11.87

-18.87

-13.91

-11.48

-18.76

-13.52

-12.25

-13.08

-12.12 -16.46

-13.53

-15.14

-18.57

-19.13 -17.67

-14.76

-11.75 -13.57

-11.47

-17.65

-10.78

-11.93

-10.31

-18.30

-10.00

-10.65

-10.77

-15.43 -12.34

-17.19

-12.23

-10.64

-12.52 -13.35

-15.96

-12.95

-10.22

-17.04

-17.13

-13.58

-20.18

-14.33

-16.55

-19.39

-15.88

-15.25

-20.36

-13.84

-19.51

Halstead

recharge

site

Sedgwick

recharge

site

-7.19

886 -17.65

1

-10

Study area

Area of water-level decline, in feet

10 – 20

20 – 30

Line of equal change of water level—

 Interval 2 feet. Dashed where

 approximately located

Artificial recharge demonstration site—

 Halstead site in operation May 1997–

 June 2002; Sedgwick site in operation 

 April 1998–November 2000

Well hydrograph shown in figure 2

Equus beds historic observation well

EXPLANATION

Upper number is well identification number. Lower

number is water-level change, in feet. Negative number

indicates water level was lower than August 1940.

Water-level measurements were made by city of 

Wichita personnel.

Depletion of storage volume in study area between August 1940 and April 2001 was 110,000 acre-feet.

Figure 13. Water-level change in Equus Beds aquifer in study area, August 1940–April 2001.
18 Status of Ground-Water Levels and Storage Volume in the Equus Beds Aquifer, January 2000–January 2003

T.

25

S.

T.

24

S.

T.

23

S.

R. 3 W. R. 2 W. R. 1 W.

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital

data, 1:100,000, 1983 

Universal Transverse Mercator Projection, Zone 14

Kisiwa

Little

Little

Arkansas

River

River

River

Emma

Creek

West

Emma

Creek

Creek

Sand

Creek

Arkansas

Mount 

Hope

Patterson

Burrton

Sedgwick

Halstead

Valley

Center

HARVEY COUNTY

SEDGWICK COUNTY

0 1 2 3 4 MILES

0 1 2 3 4 KILOMETERS East

Emma

Middle

Emma

Creek

Creek

Arkansas

30' 97

 ̊ 97 22'30"  ̊

37'30"

38 ̊

37 ̊52'30"

0

0

0

-4

-4

-4

-6

-6

-8

-8

-10

-10

-12

-12

-2

-2

-14

-14

-16

-16

-18

-18 -20

-20

-20

-20

-22

-22

-22

-24

-24

-26

-26

-28

-12

1

8

9

5

4 3

2

7

6

13

16

22

25

24

23

21

19 20

18

14

12

33

34 31

30

42

55

52 54

51

50 49

48

47

46

45

44

41

40

39

38

37

36

35

32

29

28

27

26

17

15

10

11

892

870 842

880

889

886

853

840

839

833

832

815

826

506

307

P31

P32

877

P30

P29

101

P35

P27

P28

890

133

130

126

810

124

122

120

118

117

115

114

113

112

111

110

109

108

107

105 104

103

102

816

878

894

3032

3001

3035

3050

3045

3044

3041

3038

3034

3033

3004

3002

1191

1190

1187

1186

1179

1176

1175

1174

1171

3036

1189 2084

1173

3005

-0.25

-5.87 -0.75

-9.26

-9.45

-5.54

-5.98

-0.78

-3.05

-1.22

-5.70

-9.94

+0.94

-3.38

+0.21

+1.05

+0.16

-9.16

-7.39

-6.22

+0.42

+2.65

-5.50

-4.23 -4.40

-2.58

-6.07

-6.55

-9.46

-7.89

-2.87

-2.97

-5.74

-5.25

-7.28

-9.23 -9.74 -9.34

-8.38

-2.62

-2.81

-2.88

-0.37

+0.66

-2.15

-2.52

-5.40

-2.72

-0.10

-4.98

-9.34

-1.19

-3.18

-1.70

+0.10

-3.63

-4.05

-0.53

+3.31

-4.64

-1.59

-1.86

-7.95

-6.70

-6.80

-1.30

+0.40

-6.54

-1.20

-6.24

-8.07

-18.21

-10.97

-18.48

-19.01

-18.90

-12.55

-11.59

-11.73

-10.69

-15.04

-19.66 -14.17

-12.83

-15.30

-18.88 -18.89

-16.53

-18.50

-21.82

-22.92

-10.42

-10.64

-10.72

-17.70

-10.19

-10.04

-11.05

-12.55

-15.94 -12.13

-16.79

-10.63

-12.15

-15.05

-14.42

-14.20

-11.16

-14.89

-10.13

-13.50

-11.88

-21.28 -23.60

-15.68

-21.59

-28.68

-16.11

-14.39

-13.09 -20.80

-13.50

-15.82

-17.56

-16.68

-27.88

-20.20

-24.35

-18.05

Halstead

recharge

site

Sedgwick

recharge

site

-27.88

886

-20.20

1

-10

Study area

Area of water-level decline, in feet

10 – 20

20 – 30

Line of equal change of water level—

 Interval 2 feet. Dashed where

 approximately located

Artificial recharge demonstration site—

 Halstead site in operation May 1997–

 June 2002; Sedgwick site in operation 

 April 1998–November 2000

Well hydrograph shown in figure 2

Equus beds historic observation well

EXPLANATION

Upper number is well identification number. Lower

number is water-level change, in feet. Negative number

indicates water level was lower than August 1940.

Water-level measurements were made by city of 

Wichita personnel.

Depletion of storage volume in study area between August 1940 and July 2001 was 149,000 acre-feet.

Figure 14. Water-level change in Equus Beds aquifer in study area, August 1940–July 2001.
Ground-Water-Level Changes 19

T.

25

S.

T.

24

S.

T.

23

S.

R. 3 W. R. 2 W. R. 1 W.

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital

data, 1:100,000, 1983 

Universal Transverse Mercator Projection, Zone 14

Kisiwa

Little

Little

Arkansas

River

River

River

Emma

Creek

West

Emma

Creek

Creek

Sand

Creek

Arkansas

Mount 

Hope

Patterson

Burrton

Sedgwick

Halstead

Valley

Center

HARVEY COUNTY

SEDGWICK COUNTY

0 1 2 3 4 MILES

0 1 2 3 4 KILOMETERS

30'

East

Emma

Middle

Emma

Creek

Creek

Arkansas

97

 ̊ 97 22'30"  ̊

37'30"

38 ̊

37 ̊52'30"

0

0

0

-4

-4

-6

-6

-6

-8

-8

-10

-10

-12

-12

-2

-2

-14

-14

-16

-16

-16

-18

-18

-20

-24

-12

-22

-12

-4

1

8

9

5

4 3

2

7

6

13

16

22

25

24

23 21

20

19

18

14

12

33

31 34

30

42

55

54

53

52

51

50 49

48

47 46

45

44

41

40

39

38

37

36

35

32 29

28

27

26

17

15

10

11

892

870

842

880

889

886

853

840

839

833

832

817

815

506

307

P31

P32

877

P30

P29

101

P35

P27

P28

890

133

130

126

810

124

122

120

118

117

115

114

113

112

111

110

109

108

107

105 104

102

816

878

3032

3001

3035

3050

3045

3044

3041

3038

3034

3033

3004

3002

1191

1190

1187

1186

1179 826

1176

1175

1174

1171

3036

1189 2084

1173

3005

-0.82

-4.61

-1.85

-9.33

-4.21

-7.05

-2.65

-1.94

-4.72

-2.37

-1.67

+1.11

-2.03

-6.33

-2.13

-1.57

-3.55

-8.46

-2.90

-7.56

-2.29

+0.41

-6.75

-7.15

-6.51

-8.08

-5.13

-8.35

-8.73

-8.90

-5.13

-6.09

-5.54

-7.16

-9.37

-8.96

-4.77

-2.86

-3.12

-3.30

-2.16

-4.18

-5.93

-6.98

-5.49

-5.67

-4.68

-5.43

-5.60

-9.29

-2.72

-4.44

-2.78

-2.95

-2.19

-3.37

-0.82

+2.77

-3.78

-6.60

-4.61

-5.43

-7.87

-3.35

-3.47

-3.16

-6.30

-8.80

-4.24

-1.95

-8.23

-10.94

-15.08

-19.23

-19.13

-19.90

-14.49

-13.40

-13.06

-12.36 -17.10

-14.92

-12.92

-14.95

-18.93

-19.80

-17.72

-19.50

-19.40

-18.26

-10.08

-11.72

-11.80

-11.06

-19.02

-11.66

-10.29

-10.89

-16.47

-14.84 -12.70

-10.88

-11.19 -10.31

-11.17

-13.34

-13.07

-13.45

-12.90

-11.17

-14.90

-13.43

-11.70

-10.20

-15.15

-17.02

-17.09

-18.45 -13.65

-13.38

-14.50

-19.67

-18.55

-14.30

-24.17

-16.80

-16.50

-12.28

-21.01

Halstead

recharge

site

Sedgwick

recharge

site

-15.08

886

-16.80

1

-10

Study area

Area of water-level decline, in feet

10 – 20

20 – 30

Line of equal change of water level—

 Interval 2 feet. Dashed where

 approximately located

Artificial recharge demonstration site—

 Halstead site in operation May 1997–

 June 2002; Sedgwick site in operation 

 April 1998–November 2000

Well hydrograph shown in figure 2

Equus beds historic observation well

EXPLANATION

Upper number is well identification number. Lower

number is water-level change, in feet. Negative number

indicates water level was lower than August 1940.

Water-level measurements were made by city of 

Wichita personnel.

Depletion of storage volume in study area between August 1940 and October 2001 was 146,000 acre-feet.

Figure 15. Water-level change in Equus Beds aquifer in study area, August 1940–October 2001.
20 Status of Ground-Water Levels and Storage Volume in the Equus Beds Aquifer, January 2000–January 2003

T.

25

S.

T.

24

S.

T.

23

S.

R. 3 W. R. 2 W. R. 1 W.

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital

data, 1:100,000, 1983 

Universal Transverse Mercator Projection, Zone 14

Kisiwa

Little

Little

Arkansas

River

River

River

Emma

Creek

West

Emma

Creek

Creek

Sand

Creek

Arkansas

Mount 

Hope

Patterson

Burrton

Sedgwick

Halstead

Valley

Center

HARVEY COUNTY

SEDGWICK COUNTY

0 1 2 3 4 MILES

0 1 2 3 4 KILOMETERS East

Emma

Middle

Emma

Creek

Creek

Arkansas

30' 97

 ̊ 97 22'30"  ̊

37'30"

38 ̊

37 ̊52'30"

0

0

0

-4

-4

-6

-6

-8

-8

-10

-10

-12

-12

-2

-2

-14

-14

-16

-16

-18

-18

-18

-20

-20

-22

-12

1

8

9

5

4 3

2

7

6

13

16

22

25

24

23

21

19 20

18

14

12

33

34

31

30

42

55

54

53

52

51

50 49

48

47

46

45

44

41

40

39

38

37

36

35 29 32

28

27

26

17

15

10

11

892

870

842

880

889

886

853

840

839

833

832

817

815

826

506

307

P31

P32

877

P30

P29

P28

101

P35

P27

890

133

130

126

810

124

122

120

118

117

115

114

113

112

111

110

109

108 107

104 105

103

102

816

878

3032

3001

3035

3050

3045

3044

3041

3038

3034

3033

3004

3002

1191

1190

1187

1186

1179

1176

1175

1174

1171

3036

1189 2084

1173

3005

-0.79

-4.05

-2.30

-3.37

-8.13

-9.73

-2.81

-2.29

-4.94

-3.09

-0.53

+0.78

-2.17

-5.24

-2.95

-1.17

-3.86

-9.79

-8.48

-1.61

-7.21

-1.55

+0.01

-6.02

-8.31

-6.54

-8.92

-6.00

-8.81

-8.90

-8.78

-5.40

-5.16

-5.56

-7.39

-8.94

-9.80 -9.73

-4.60

-3.05

-3.10

-2.90

-2.83

-4.97

-6.20

-7.14

-5.41

-5.40

-2.25

-5.57

-5.69

-9.40

-2.98

-5.54

-3.42

-3.47

-2.40

-3.33

-0.64

+2.27

-4.30

-3.59

-4.28

-4.01

-7.85

-2.38

-3.68

-4.25

-7.63

-7.47 -9.43 -2.95

-2.42

-8.21

-10.82

-14.73

-18.74

-16.35

-11.75

-18.41

-13.56

-12.97

-12.47

-10.79

-15.54

-19.27 -14.06

-15.00

-17.99

-18.38

-16.25

-19.60

-19.48

-17.56

-11.42

-11.76

-10.87

-18.80

-11.49

-11.48

-13.04

-13.75 -12.21

-16.27

-11.97

-11.77

-10.43 -10.74

-13.03

-13.02

-14.69

-12.35

-10.02

-13.72

-13.37

-10.21

-10.17 -12.95

-17.23

-17.09

-18.2 -13.36 8

-13.38

-14.12

-19.48

-16.45

-13.43

-22.73

-20.29

-18.33

Halstead

recharge

site

Sedgwick

recharge

site

-14.73

886

-17.56

1

-10

Study area

Area of water-level decline, in feet

10 – 20

20 – 30

Line of equal change of water level—

 Interval 2 feet. Dashed where

 approximately located

Artificial recharge demonstration site—

 Halstead site in operation May 1997–

 June 2002; Sedgwick site in operation 

 April 1998–November 2000

Well hydrograph shown in figure 2

Equus beds historic observation well

EXPLANATION

Upper number is well identification number. Lower

number is water-level change, in feet. Negative number

indicates water level was lower than August 1940.

Water-level measurements were made by city of 

Wichita personnel.

Depletion of storage volume in study area between August 1940 and January 2002 was 142,000 acre-feet.

Figure 16. Water-level change in Equus Beds aquifer in study area, August 1940–January 2002.
Ground-Water-Level Changes 21

T.

25

S.

T.

24

S.

T.

23

S.

R. 3 W. R. 2 W. R. 1 W.

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital

data, 1:100,000, 1983 

Universal Transverse Mercator Projection, Zone 14

Kisiwa

Little

Little

Arkansas

River

River

River

Emma

Creek

West

Emma

Creek

Creek

Sand

Creek

Arkansas

Mount 

Hope

Patterson

Burrton

Sedgwick

Halstead

Valley

Center

HARVEY COUNTY

SEDGWICK COUNTY

0 1 2 3 4 MILES

0 1 2 3 4 KILOMETERS East

Emma

Middle

Emma

Creek

Creek

Arkansas

30' 97

 ̊ 97 22'30"  ̊

37'30"

38 ̊

37 ̊52'30"

0

0

0

-4

-4

-6

-6

-8

-8

-10

-10

-12

-12

-2

-2

-2

-14

-14

-16

-16

-16

-12

-16

-18

-18

-18

-18

-20

-12

1

8

9

5

4 3

2

7

6

13

16

22

25

24

23 21

19 20

18

14

12

33

34

31 30

42

55

54

53

52

51

50 49

48

47

46

45

44

41

821

40

39

38

37

36

35

32 29

28

27

26

17

15

10

11

892

870

842

889

886

853

840

839

833

832

817

815

826

506

307

P31

P32

877

P30

P29

101

P35

P27

P28

890

133

130

126

810

124

122

120

118

117

115

114

113

112

110

109

107

105

104

103

102

816

878

3032

3001

3035

3050

3045

3044

3041

3038

3034

3033

3004

3002

1191

1190

1187

1186

1179

1176

1175

1174

1171

3036

2084

1189

1173

-0.68

-4.08

-2.59

-2.97

-7.30

-8.25

-3.10

-2.37

-5.29

-2.90

-0.61

+0.91

-2.48

-5.25

-3.12

-2.21

-3.86

-9.95 -8.48

-1.48

-7.21

-1.60

-0.08

-7.16

-8.34

-7.96

-8.39

-6.60

-8.64

-9.14

-8.77

-5.67

-5.15

-5.60

-6.83

-8.70

-9.75 -9.37

-5.14

-3.33

-3.12

-2.92

-3.67

-5.25

-6.67

-6.34

-5.94

-5.20

-2.63

-5.81

-7.50

-9.55

-3.41

-6.05

-3.57

-3.70

-2.68

-3.61

-1.96

+1.14

-4.48

-3.40

-4.90

-4.51

-7.93

-3.85

-4.12

-7.96

-8.07

-9.43

-2.11

-2.99

-8.25

-10.38

-12.67

-18.06

-16.35

-17.75

-13.33

-12.62

-12.65

-12.70 -15.77

-19.12 -15.10

-15.15

-17.35

-18.23

-14.92

-18.87

-18.15

-16.56

-18.11

-11.82

-11.77

-11.15

-17.51

-10.69

-10.59

-11.68

-14.58 -12.05

-16.07

-12.07

-12.15

-10.02

-10.54

-12.97

-13.45

-14.79

-12.55

-10.35

-13.69

-13.34

-10.39

-13.92

-16.96

-16.90 -13.27

-18.05

-13.29

-15.81

-18.97

-15.49 -10.75

-21.40

-18.47

Halstead

recharge

site

Sedgwick

recharge

site

-12.67

886

-18.11

1

-10

Study area

Area of water-level decline, in feet

10 – 20

20 – 30

Line of equal change of water level—

 Interval 2 feet. Dashed where

 approximately located

Artificial recharge demonstration site—

 Halstead site in operation May 1997–

 June 2002; Sedgwick site in operation 

 April 1998–November 2000

Well hydrograph shown in figure 2

Equus beds historic observation well

EXPLANATION

Upper number is well identification number. Lower

number is water-level change, in feet. Negative number

indicates water level was lower than August 1940.

Water-level measurements were made by city of 

Wichita personnel.

Depletion of storage volume in study area between August 1940 and April 2002 was 141,000 acre-feet.

Figure 17. Water-level change in Equus Beds aquifer in study area, August 1940–April 2002.
22 Status of Ground-Water Levels and Storage Volume in the Equus Beds Aquifer, January 2000–January 2003

T.

25

S.

T.

24

S.

T.

23

S.

R. 3 W. R. 2 W. R. 1 W.

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital

data, 1:100,000, 1983 

Universal Transverse Mercator Projection, Zone 14

Kisiwa

Little

Little

Arkansas

River

River

River

Emma

Creek

West

Emma

Creek

Creek

Sand

Creek

Arkansas

Mount 

Hope

Patterson

Burrton

Sedgwick

Halstead

Valley

Center

HARVEY COUNTY

SEDGWICK COUNTY

0 1 2 3 4 MILES

0 1 2 3 4 KILOMETERS East

Emma

Middle

Emma

Creek

Creek

Arkansas

30' 97

 ̊ 97 22'30"  ̊

37'30"

38 ̊

37 ̊52'30"

0

0

0

-4

-4

-4

-6

-6

-6

-6

-6

-8

-8

-8

-10

-10

-12

-12

-12

-10

-2

-2

-2

-14

-14

-14

-20

-22

-24

-16

-16

-16

-16

-16

-16 -18

-18

-18

-18

-20

-22

-20

-22

-22

-24

-24

-26

-12

-0.85

-3.90 -2.65

-7.19

-6.33

-8.28

-5.60

+0.36

-1.91

-5.48

-2.12

-4.07

+0.64

-3.80

-3.14

-1.85

-3.70

-7.44

-7.65

-2.74

-0.95

-7.55

-6.77

-5.68

-7.31

-6.01

-9.49

-9.35

-8.89

-6.32

-5.68

-5.60

-7.64

-9.20

-4.95

-4.37

-2.25

-1.80

-5.15

-6.97

-5.40

-5.39

-2.53

-1.25

-5.82

-9.69

-3.36

-5.90

-3.80

-3.15

-4.08

-3.05

-2.88

+2.00

-4.64

-1.89

-3.96

-9.12

-8.07

-6.49

-3.99

-4.40

-8.09

-3.10

-8.32

-10.80

-24.10

-18.13

-21.07

-10.39

-18.90

-13.92

-13.10

-14.30

-12.76 -16.76

-18.96 -15.49

-15.62

-18.49 -22.47

-18.11

-22.50 -29.54

-23.28

-18.81

-12.00

-11.77

-18.00

-11.56

-10.94

-10.55

-11.08

-11.79

-16.88

-12.75

-15.77

-12.68

-11.58

-12.16

-11.50

-12.42

-17.07 -14.14

-14.90

-16.40

-14.38

-15.17

-10.42

-13.23

-15.14

-22.05 -14.97

-11.60

-11.65

-24.30

-16.58

-16.94 -15.19

-17.69

-12.90

-15.50

-18.91

-17.67 -12.05

-10.25

-18.07

-10.50

-18.77

Halstead

recharge

site

Sedgwick

recharge

site

IW-38

IW-36 IW-37 IW-35

IW-34

IW-33

IW-32 IW-31

IW-30

IW-28 IW-27

IW-26

IW-24 IW-25

IW-22

IW-21 IW-20

IW-19

IW-18

IW-16

IW-15

IW-14

IW-13

IW-12 IW-10

IW-09

IW-08

IW-07

IW-06

IW-04

IW-02 IW-03

IW-01

1

8

9

5

4 3

2

7

821 6

13

16

22

25

24

23 21

19 20

18

14

12

33

34

31

30

42

55

54

53

52

51

50

49

48

47

46

45

44

41

40

39

38

37

36

35

32

29

27 28

26

17

15

10

11

892

870 842

880

889

886

853

840

839

833

832

817

815

826

506

307

P31

877

P30

P29

101

P35

P27

P28

890

133

130

126

810

124

122

120

118

117

115

114

113

112

111

110

109

108

107

104 105

103

102

816

878

3032

3001

3035

3050

3044

3041

3038

3034

3033

3004

3002

1191

1190

1187

1186

1179

1176

1175

1171 1174

3036

2084

1189

1173

3005

-6.70

-6.20 -5.66

-3.22

-2.09

-7.17

-7.28 -3.70

-7.17

-6.07

-3.00 -4.82

-7.81

-4.19

-9.50

-6.49

-1.90

-6.14

-5.19

-3.97 -3.00

-5.00

-13.57 -11.18

-10.04

-15.60 -13.73

-19.21

-17.91

-16.45

-10.96

-10.83

-10.16

-24.10

886

-18.81

1

-10

Study area

Area of water-level decline, in feet

10 – 20

20 – 30

Line of equal change of water level—

 Interval 2 feet. Dashed where

 approximately located

Artificial recharge demonstration site—

 Halstead site in operation May 1997–

 June 2002; Sedgwick site in operation 

 April 1998–November 2000

Well hydrograph shown in figure 2

Equus beds historic observation well

Equus beds areal index well 

EXPLANATION

-5.00

IW-01

Upper number is well identification number. Lower

number is water-level change, in feet. Negative number

indicates water level was lower than August 1940.

Water-level measurements were made by city of 

Wichita and U.S. Geological Survey personnel.

Depletion of storage volume in study area between August 1940 and July 2002 was 162,000 acre-feet.

Figure 18. Water-level change in Equus Beds aquifer in study area, August 1940–July 2002.
Ground-Water-Level Changes 23

T.

25

S.

T.

24

S.

T.

23

S.

R. 3 W. R. 2 W. R. 1 W.

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital

data, 1:100,000, 1983 

Universal Transverse Mercator Projection, Zone 14

Kisiwa

Little

Little

Arkansas

River

River

River

Emma

Creek

West

Emma

Creek

Creek

Sand

Creek

Arkansas

Mount 

Hope

Patterson

Burrton

Sedgwick

Halstead

Valley

Center

HARVEY COUNTY

SEDGWICK COUNTY

0 1 2 3 4 MILES

0 1 2 3 4 KILOMETERS

30'

East

Emma

Middle

Emma

Creek

Creek

Arkansas

97

 ̊ 97 22'30"  ̊

37'30"

38 ̊

37 ̊52'30"

0

0

0

-4

-4

-6

-6

-8

-8

-8

-10

-10

-10

-12

-12

-2

-2

-2

-14

-14

-16

-16

-16

-16

-18

-18

-20

-18

-22

-28

-22

-24

-26

-0.57

-5.88

-3.21

-9.11

-5.29

-3.64

-7.37

-3.34

-3.44 -4.38

-4.86

-2.98

-4.86

-6.62

-9.38

-2.20

+0.71

-7.60

-9.45 -8.35

-7.86

-8.60

-8.85

-6.00

-6.60

-4.10

-3.90

-3.04

-5.69

-7.25

-8.93

-7.64

-3.46

-6.54

-5.25

-6.50

-5.19

-4.45

-4.04

-4.70

-5.17

+1.74

-6.05

-4.35

-6.20

-7.30

-5.50

-4.93

-8.51

-9.47

-4.05

-11.48

-20.06

-20.18

-22.14

-20.92

-16.98

-16.27 -15.52

-14.90 -19.57

-18.15 -16.45

-17.84

-19.89

-28.24 -21.03

-20.15

-26.97 -26.04

-10.87

-13.85

-11.97

-14.19

-10.30

-21.62

-14.47

-13.09

-11.13

-12.00

-18.99

-10.10

-17.37

-13.06

-15.88

-14.45

-11.15

-11.16

-12.38

-10.37

-10.11

-12.88

-13.89

-14.05

-11.79

-15.55 -15.70

-16.80

-19.84

-13.95

-16.92

-10.23

-10.14 -13.19

-10.03

-10.38

-16.18

-13.56

-19.85

-19.70

-10.77

-18.73

-18.57

-15.61

-17.61

-13.16

-15.75

-20.35

-20.68 -14.48

-16.64

-7.12

-24.54

-21.06

-13.22

-21.37

Halstead

recharge

site

Sedgwick

recharge

site

IW-38

IW-37 IW-35 IW-36

IW-34

IW-33

IW-32 IW-31

IW-30

IW-29

IW-28 IW-27

IW-26

IW-24 IW-25

IW-22 IW-23

IW-21

IW-20

IW-19

IW-18

IW-16 IW-17

IW-15

IW-14

IW-13

IW-12

IW-11

IW-10

IW-09

IW-08

IW-07

IW-06

IW-05

IW-04

IW-03

IW-02

IW-01

1

8

9

5

4 3

2

7

821 6

13

16

22

25 24

23 21

19 20

18

14

12

33

34

31

30

42

55

54

53

52

51

50

49

48

47

46

45

44

41

40

39

38

37

36

35

32

29

27 28

26

17

15

10

11

892

870

842

889

886

853

840

839

833

832

817

815

826

506

307

P31

P32

P30

P29

101

P35

P27

P28

890

133

130

126

810

124

122

120

118

117

115

114

113

112

111

110

109

108 107

104

103

102

816

878

3032

3001

3035

3050

3044

3041

3038

3034

3033

3004

3002

1190

1187

1186

1179

1176

1175

1171 1174

3036

2084

1189

1173

3005

-5.99

-7.61 -4.07 -6.53

-2.91

-8.72

-8.85 -5.24

-7.49

-6.91

-2.97 -5.83

-9.70

-5.46

-8.36

-4.58

-9.59

-7.61

-11.16

-16.12 -12.15

-12.31 -10.40

-17.25

-15.52

-13.22

-19.73

-10.88

-17.34

-23.46

-16.20

-15.98

-11.00

-12.55

-9.67

-21.88

-21.22

-24.10

-20.06

886

-21.06

1

-10

Study area

Area of water-level decline, in feet

10 – 20

20 – 30

Line of equal change of water level—

 Interval 2 feet. Dashed where

 approximately located

Artificial recharge demonstration site—

 Halstead site in operation May 1997–

 June 2002; Sedgwick site in operation 

 April 1998–November 2000

Well hydrograph shown in figure 2

Equus beds historic observation well

Equus beds areal index well 

EXPLANATION

-12.55

IW-01

Upper number is well identification number. Lower

number is water-level change, in feet. Negative number

indicates water level was lower than August 1940.

Water-level measurements were made by city of 

Wichita and U.S. Geological Survey personnel.

Depletion of storage volume in study area between August 1940 and October 2002 was 187,000 acre-feet.

Figure 19. Water-level change in Equus Beds aquifer in study area, August 1940–October 2002.
24 Status of Ground-Water Levels and Storage Volume in the Equus Beds Aquifer, January 2000–January 2003

T.

25

S.

T.

24

S.

T.

23

S.

R. 3 W. R. 2 W. R. 1 W.

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital

data, 1:100,000, 1983 

Universal Transverse Mercator Projection, Zone 14

Kisiwa

Little

Little

Arkansas

River

River

River

Emma

Creek

West

Emma

Creek

Creek

Sand

Creek

Arkansas

Mount 

Hope

Patterson

Burrton

Sedgwick

Halstead

Valley

Center

HARVEY COUNTY

SEDGWICK COUNTY

0 1 2 3 4 MILES

0 1 2 3 4 KILOMETERS East

Emma

Middle

Emma

Creek

Creek

Arkansas

30' 97

 ̊ 97 22'30"  ̊

37'30"

38 ̊

37 ̊52'30"

0

0

0

-4

-4

-4

-6

-6

-8

-8

-10

-10

-12

-12

-12

-14

-2

-2

-2

-14

-14

-16

-16

-16

-14

-16

-18

-18

-18

-20

-22

-18 -20

0.00

-0.45

-3.88 -3.73

-3.57

-8.94

-3.08

-2.89

-6.84

-0.81

-1.23

-4.08

-7.01

-4.59

-3.58

-4.73

-2.39

-8.93

-1.43

-7.98

-9.89

-8.87

-8.68

-7.01

-9.81

-9.95

-6.92

-7.35

-6.16

-9.57

-2.75

-4.69

-2.85

-2.55

-2.42

-5.69

-7.66

-3.17

-7.00

-5.36

-2.84

-6.55

-8.25

-3.72

-6.68

-3.60

-3.85

-3.10

-3.78

-4.36

+1.34

-6.45

-3.27

-5.15

-4.20

-9.34

-3.91

-5.28

-5.48

-9.15

-8.78

-9.55 -3.17

-6.58

-11.72

-13.08

-19.54

-16.42

-10.91

-19.47

-15.74

-14.80

-15.34

-14.35 -17.66

-16.10

-18.82

-16.62

-19.35

-16.97

-21.05 -19.20

-17.41

-19.83

-10.94

-12.92

-12.09

-12.86

-18.58

-13.30

-12.23

-10.46

-11.92

-14.71

-16.20

-13.51

-15.58

-13.47

-10.33

-12.32

-10.89

-11.74

-12.88

-11.19

-14.82 -15.14

-16.82

-13.87

-13.15

-15.44

-10.77

-10.62

-11.22

-11.54 -15.47

-10.50

-17.91

-18.30 -14.26

-18.15

-13.35

-16.10 -19.75

-20.62

-18.02 -15.99

-14.79

-19.15

-23.20

-12.57

Halstead

recharge

site

Sedgwick

recharge

site

IW-38

IW-37

IW-36

IW-35

IW-34

IW-33

IW-32 IW-31

IW-30

IW-29

IW-28 IW-27

IW-26

IW-25

IW-24

IW-23

IW-22 IW-21 IW-20

IW-19

IW-18

IW-16 IW-17

IW-15

IW-14

IW-13

IW-12

IW-11

IW-10

IW-09

IW-08

IW-07

IW-06

IW-05

IW-04

IW-02

IW-01

1

8

9

5

4 3

2

7

821 6

13

16

22

25 24

23 21

20

19

18

14

12

33

34

31

30

42

55

54

53

52

51

50

49

48

47

46

45

44

41

40

39

38

37

36

35

32

29

27 28

26

17

15

10

11

892

870 842

880

889

886

853

840

839

833

832

817

815

826

506

307

P31

877

P32

P30

P29

101

P35

P27

P28

890

133

130

126

124

122

120

118

117

115

114

113

112

111

110

109

108

107

105

104

103

102

816

878

3032

3001

3035

3050

3045

3044

3041

3038

3034

3033

3004

3002

1191

1190

1187

1186

1179

1176

1175

1174

1171

3036

2084

1189

1173

3005

-3.95

-5.46

-5.11

-2.87

-2.07

-7.62

-7.92 -3.96

-5.65

-9.72

-6.99

-5.07

-2.00

-4.33

-8.02

-4.00

-9.51

-7.46

-3.23

-8.53

-7.06

-5.99

-7.71

-15.11 -11.75

-14.99 -15.86 -11.38

-19.82

-18.78

-10.95

-12.23

-12.80

-11.56

-19.34

-14.90 -12.18

-13.08

886

-19.83

1

-10

Study area

Area of water-level decline, in feet

10 – 20

20 – 30

Line of equal change of water level—

 Interval 2 feet. Dashed where

 approximately located

Artificial recharge demonstration site—

 Halstead site in operation May 1997–

 June 2002; Sedgwick site in operation 

 April 1998–November 2000

Well hydrograph shown in figure 2

Equus beds historic observation well

Equus beds areal index well 

EXPLANATION

Upper number is well identification number. Lower

number is water-level change, in feet. Negative number

indicates water level was lower than August 1940.

Water-level measurements were made by city of 

Wichita and Equus Beds Groundwater Management

District No. 2 personnel.

Depletion of storage volume in study area between August 1940 and January 2003 was 159,000 acre-feet.

-7.71

IW-01

Figure 20. Water-level change in Equus Beds aquifer in study area, August 1940–January 2003.
Ground-Water-Level Changes 25

January 2003 in the study area was 6.88 ft in April 2000 at well 

101 in the northern part of the study area (fig. 9).

Comparisons of figures 8–20 indicate that the period with 

the smallest area of water-level declines since August 1940 for 

the period January 2000 to January 2003 was April 2000 

(fig. 9). The expansion during the period January 2000 to January 2003 of the area with water-level declines (inside the zero 

contour) is best seen on the maps of water-level changes since 

August 1940 for April 2000, 2001, 2002 (figs. 9, 13, and 17) 

because water levels measured in the month of April represent 

the maximum recovery of water levels from low water levels 

caused by withdrawals during the previous summer and fall. 

This expansion of the area with water-level declines may be 

associated with decreased precipitation and increased irrigation 

pumpage compared to previous years (figs. 2A, 2B, and 2C). 

Comparison of maps of the water-level changes since August 

1940 for the same months in different years during 2000 to 2003 

(for example, figs. 8, 12, 16, and 20) shows that the size of areas 

with water-level declines of 20 to 30 ft decreased through July 

2002; these areas are generally in or near the center of the study 

area. This decrease in water-level declines probably is due to 

decreased city pumpage from the Equus Beds aquifer in the 

study area that is associated with increased city use of water 

from Cheney Reservoir. The size of the areas with water-level 

declines of 20 to 30 ft during October 2002 and January 2003 

(figs. 19 and 20) is larger than the same areas during October 

2001 and January 2002, respectively (figs. 15 and 16). The 

increased water-level declines in October 2002 and January 

2003 may be due to increased irrigation pumpage during the 

summer and fall of 2002. 

Seasonal water-level changes for most wells in the study 

area during the period January 2000 to January 2003 continued 

to be larger than the cumulative water-level change during the 

same period (for example, see hydrographs of observation 

wells 104 and 886 in fig. 2C). Each year was divided into two 

seasons—a recovery or “spring” season (represented by the 

months of January and April) and a decline or “fall” season 

(represented by the months of July and October). The shallower 

(larger recovery) of the year’s January or April water level at 

each well was used for each well’s “spring” water level; the 

deeper (larger decline) of the year’s July or October water level 

at each well was used for the well’s “fall” water level. Seasonal 

changes for each well were determined by subtracting one season’s water level from the preceding season’s water level (for 

example, fall 2000 subtracted from spring 2000). The absolute 

value of the largest seasonal change for each well and the time 

period when the change occurred are shown in figure 21. In 

some wells the largest water-level change for a 12-month period 

occurred within the same season; thus, the seasonal changes 

shown in figure 21 do not always represent the largest waterlevel change that occurred for all wells in any 12-month period 

during January 2000 to January 2003. Seasonal changes for the 

areal index wells are not shown in figure 21 because quarterly 

water-level measurements did not begin at these wells before 

the summer of 2002. 

The maximum seasonal changes in water levels in wells in 

the study area typically were less than 10 ft during the period 

January 2000 to January 2003 (fig. 21) with most changes being 

less than 5 ft. Seasonal changes tended to be larger towards the 

edges of the study area than in the center of the study area. The 

largest seasonal changes occurred in the northern part of the 

study area with most wells having seasonal changes of more 

than 5 ft and changes of 10 ft or more being common (fig. 21). 

Wells 1, 102, 104, and 3036 in the northern part of the study 

area had the largest seasonal changes in the study area with 

changes between 20 and 25 ft during 2000 and 2001 (fig. 21). 

The large seasonal changes in the northern part of the study area 

probably are due mostly to seasonal irrigation pumpage and 

semiconfined aquifer conditions in this part of the study area 

(Aucott and Myers, 1998). These conditions also may account 

for the large differences in seasonal changes seen in nearby 

wells in this part of the study area. For example, there is a difference of about 13 ft between the maximum seasonal changes 

at wells 102 and 103 (fig. 21). In the central part of the study 

area the maximum seasonal changes commonly occurred 

between fall 2000 and spring 2001 or between spring 2002 and 

fall 2002, with the former period most common in the center 

and the latter period most common in the northwestern and 

southeastern parts of the center of the study area (fig. 21). In the 

rest of the study area, the maximum seasonal changes most 

commonly occurred between spring 2000 and fall 2000 

(fig. 21). 

Unusually wet or dry climatic conditions or changes in 

ground-water pumpage strategies may modify the annual cycle 

of water-level rises and declines. For example, drought conditions and increases in agricultural irrigation or city pumpage 

may result in a cumulative decline in ground-water levels; 

greater-than-average precipitation and decreases in agricultural 

irrigation or city pumpage may result in a cumulative recovery 

of ground-water levels. To show some of these cumulative 

changes, water-level change maps were constructed for the 

periods October 1992 to January 2003, October 1992 to April 

2000, April 2000 to January 2003, and January 2000 to January 

2003, (figs. 22–25, respectively). For figures 22–25, a water 

level was used for the water-level-change map for a selected 

period only if the measured water level was used both for the 

map since August 1940 to the beginning date of the selected 

period and for the map since August 1940 to the end date of the 

selected period. For example, the Equus Beds aquifer areal 

index wells were not used for figures 22–25 because none had 

water-level measurements before 2002 and, therefore, did not 

have water levels for the beginning dates of any of these maps.

As pointed out by Hansen and Aucott (2001), the maximum recorded decline in the study area occurred in October 

1992; therefore, a map for the period October 1992 to January 

2003 was constructed to illustrate the magnitude of cumulative 

water-level changes since the period of maximum decline 

(fig. 22). The cumulative water-level changes from October 

1992 to January 2003 in the study area ranged from a decline of 

2.83 ft in well 826 on the eastern edge of the study area to a rise 

of 24.04 ft in well 12 in the central part of the study area. 
26 Status of Ground-Water Levels and Storage Volume in the Equus Beds Aquifer, January 2000–January 2003

Figure 21. Maximum seasonal water-level changes in Equus Beds aquifer in study area during January 2000–January 2003.

T.

25

S.

T.

24

S.

T.

23

S.

R. 3 W. R. 2 W. R. 1 W.

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital

data, 1:100,000, 1983 

Universal Transverse Mercator Projection, Zone 14

Kisiwa

Little

Little

Arkansas

River

River

River

Emma

Creek

West

Emma

Creek

Creek

Sand

Creek

Arkansas

Mount 

Hope

Patterson

Burrton

Sedgwick

Halstead

Valley

Center

HARVEY COUNTY

SEDGWICK COUNTY

0 1 2 3 4 MILES

0 1 2 3 4 KILOMETERS East

Emma

Middle

Emma

Creek

Creek

Arkansas

30' 97

 ̊ 97 22'30"  ̊

37'30"

38 ̊

37 ̊52'30"

1

8

9

5

4 3

2

7

821

6

13

16

22

25

24

23

21

20 19

18

14

12

33

34

31 30

42

55

54

53

52

51

50 49

48

47 46

45

44

41

40

39

38 37

36

35

32

29

28

27

26

17

15

10

11

892

870 842

880

889

886

853

840

839

833

832

817

815

826

506

307

P31

877

P30

P32

P29

101

P35

P27

P28

890

133

130

126

810

124

122

120

118

117

115

114

113

112

111

110

109

108

107

105 104

103

102

816

878

3032

3001

3035

3050

3045

3044

3041

3038

3034

3033

3004

3002

1191

1190

1187 1186

1179

1176

1175

1174

1171

3036

2084

1189

1173

3005

1.10

3.28

4.96 0.91

2.31

7.81

2.42

3.41

3.65

3.65 3.05

4.11

4.03

2.77 0.71

4.10

2.54

6.84 2.80

5.23

7.28

1.83

2.78

1.24

5.52

1.58

2.50

2.05

9.55

3.32

6.40

2.68

2.35

4.28

3.86 4.11

3.78

3.30 2.65

1.41

7.31

2.17

4.50

4.29

1.99

3.88

4.55

2.78

2.33

3.62 1.48

0.82

2.48 2.51

2.26

2.09

1.60

3.70

7.50

2.70 3.28

4.18

4.52

3.51

2.69

2.73

4.05

2.11

3.85

2.35

4.47

3.91

3.68

8.00

2.80

4.99

4.34

3.23

7.38 2.85

3.54

0.97

9.30

2.46

2.76

5.00

1.10

3.72

2.67

4.51

3.85

7.32

4.07

2.18

6.39

3.95

2.57

8.32

2.59

1.42

1.09

2.53

2.91

2.29

2.91

3.22 2.75

0.75

1.70 3.66

3.10

5.19 3.73

5.89

20.69

12.20 11.39

11.45

14.77 12.38 17.67

17.82

10.48

12.88

19.41 20.03

11.53

24.59

20.33

4.75

3.28

Halstead

recharge

site

Sedgwick

recharge

site

Study area

Artificial recharge demonstration site—

 Halstead site in operation May 1997–

 June 2002; Sedgwick site in operation 

 April 1998–November 2000

Well hydrograph shown in figure 2

Equus beds historic observation well

 Spring 2000 – fall 2000

 Fall 2000 – spring 2001

 Spring 2001 – fall 2001

 Fall 2001 – spring 2002

 Spring 2002 – fall 2002

 Fall 2002 – spring 2003

EXPLANATION

0.91

1.83

1.10

4.51

2.18

6.39

842

840

133

124

117

115

4.75

886

Upper number is well identification number. Lower number is absolute 

value of maximum seasonal water-level change during January 2000 to 

January 2003, in feet.

Data from water-level measurements made by city of Wichita personnel.
Ground-Water-Level Changes 27

T.

25

S.

T.

24

S.

T.

23

S.

R. 3 W. R. 2 W. R. 1 W.

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital

data, 1:100,000, 1983 

Universal Transverse Mercator Projection, Zone 14

Kisiwa

Little

Little

Arkansas

River

River

River

Emma

Creek

West

Emma

Creek

Creek

Sand

Creek

Arkansas

Mount 

Hope

Patterson

Burrton

Sedgwick

Halstead

Valley

Center

HARVEY COUNTY

SEDGWICK COUNTY

0 1 2 3 4 MILES

0 1 2 3 4 KILOMETERS

30'

East

Emma

Middle

Emma

Creek

Creek

Arkansas

97

 ̊ 97 22'30"  ̊

37'30"

38 ̊

37 ̊52'30"

0

0

+4

+4

+6

+6

+6

+8

+8

+2

+2

-2

0

+16

+12

+16

0

-2

+16

+18

+14

+18

+12

+14

+14

+10

+10

+10

+22

+18

+20

+20

+24

+12

1

5

4 3

2

7

13

16

22

25 24

23

21

20

18

14

12

33

34

31

30

42

55

54

53

52

51

50

49

47

45

44

41

40

39

37 38

36

35

32

29

27 28

26

17

15

892

870 842

889

886

853

840

839

833

832

817

815

826

506

307

P31

877

P30

P29

P32 101

P35

P27

P28

890

133

130

124

122

120

118

117

115

114

113

112

111

110

109

108

107

105 104

103

102

3032

3001

3035

3050

3045

3044

3041

3038

3034

3033

3004

3002

1191

1190

1187

1186

1179

1176

1175

1174

1171

3036

+8.00

+8.06

+0.40

+2.77 +2.12

+9.38

+15.50

+5.71

+5.18

+3.64

+6.32

+0.47

-0.90

+4.18

+3.76

+1.99

+2.38

+6.57

+2.13

-1.51

+0.75

+9.68

+8.20

+6.24

+3.57

+0.72

-0.71

+6.32

+3.79

+2.95

+2.67

+2.29

+7.88

+5.52

+7.55

+8.22

+10.50

+3.70

+7.56

+2.55

+0.84

+0.60

+7.23

+1.63

+5.86

+8.53

+2.11

+8.23

-0.14

+9.32

+4.08

+3.63

+5.93

+2.70

+2.38

+2.90

+2.27

-1.18

-4.38

+0.64

-0.35

+1.71

+2.92

+5.42

+8.76

+3.78

+3.07

+4.41

+3.20

+8.82 +8.37 +9.68

+9.03

-2.83

+19.18

+18.79

+18.67

+10.01

+10.48

+10.42

+10.66

+10.82

+19.13

+24.04

+15.36

+20.26 +20.57

+19.65

+18.37

+10.98

+11.95

+18.54

+12.79

+16.29

+10.15

+13.90

+13.74

+11.59

+11.17

+11.18

+10.73

+10.07 +11.71

+12.64

+14.68 +12.44

+13.86

+17.69

+10.14

+16.48

+11.95

+12.95

+16.62

Halstead

recharge

site

Sedgwick

recharge

site

+19.18

886 +18.37

1

-10

Study area

Area of water-level recovery, in feet

+10 to +20

+20 to +30

Line of equal change of water level—

 Interval 2 feet. Dashed where

 approximately located

Artificial recharge demonstration site—

 Halstead site in operation May 1997–

 June 2002; Sedgwick site in operation 

 April 1998–November 2000

Well hydrograph shown in figure 2

Equus beds historic observation well

EXPLANATION

+

Upper number is well identification number. Lower

number is water-level change, in feet. Negative 

number indicates water level was less than in 

October 1992.

Water-level measurements were made by city of 

Wichita personnel.

Recovery of storage volume in study area between

October 1992 and January 2003 was 124,000 acre-feet.

Figure 22. Water-level change in Equus Beds aquifer in study area, October 1992–January 2003.
28 Status of Ground-Water Levels and Storage Volume in the Equus Beds Aquifer, January 2000–January 2003

T.

25

S.

T.

24

S.

T.

23

S.

R. 3 W. R. 2 W. R. 1 W.

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital

data, 1:100,000, 1983 

Universal Transverse Mercator Projection, Zone 14

Kisiwa

Little

Little

Arkansas

River

River

River

Emma

Creek

West

Emma

Creek

Creek

Sand

Creek

Arkansas

Mount 

Hope

Patterson

Burrton

Sedgwick

Halstead

Valley

Center

HARVEY COUNTY

SEDGWICK COUNTY

0 1 2 3 4 MILES

0 1 2 3 4 KILOMETERS

30'

East

Emma

Middle

Emma

Creek

Creek

Arkansas

97

 ̊ 97 22'30"  ̊

37'30"

38 ̊

37 ̊52'30"

+4

+2

+10

+10

+22

+22

+20

+20

+18

+24

+24

+28

+30 +26

+28

+6

+4

+14

+12

+12

+12

+4

+2

+26

+14

+14

+14

+10

+18

+18

+4

+6

+6

24

+6

+6

+8

+8

+8

+8

+16

+16

+16

+4

+2

+16

1

5

4 3

2

7

13 894

16

22

25 24

23 21

20

18

14

12

33

34

31

30

42

55

54

53

52

51

50

49

47

45

44

41

40

39

37 38

36

35

32 29

28 27

26

17

15

892

870

842

889

886

853

840

839

833

832

817

815

826

506

307

P31

P32

P30

P29

101

P35

P27

P28

890

133

130

810

124

122

120

118

117

115

114

113

112

111

110

109

108

107

105

104

103

102

3032

3001

3035

3050

3045

3044

3041

3038

3034

3033

3004

3002

1191

1190

1187

1186

1179

1176

1175

1174 1171

3036

+12.00 +11.00

+6.38

+2.83

+6.77

+5.35

+9.64

+9.26

+9.08

+7.65

+5.40

+1.64

+9.38

+1.83

+8.65 +7.36

+6.99

+4.82

+5.85

+9.42

+7.54

+5.09

+4.06

+8.61

+8.05

+8.20

+5.96

+6.05

+9.90

+7.38

+9.45

+5.52

+7.02

+3.59

+4.03

+5.48

+5.94

+9.31

+9.01

+9.26

+3.85

+0.33 +3.29

+6.62

+5.06

+6.72

+4.97

+2.52

+5.03

+6.82

+5.85

+5.65

+7.43

+6.82

+5.47

+5.92

+5.07

+17.42

+25.53

+18.29

+19.92

+10.77

+12.22

+13.92 +10.11

+11.49

+15.33

+28.45

+18.21

+16.16

+30.81 +26.81

+25.85

+15.04

+20.92

+13.95

+15.06

+18.07

+12.73

+14.22

+18.66

+15.51

+14.51

+12.15

+14.61

+13.67

+13.54

+16.90

+15.84 +13.26

+14.07

+10.04

+13.57 +14.63 +15.69

+16.84 +14.30

+13.81

+11.92

+23.18

+12.93

+11.78

+10.81

+11.88

+11.95

+10.37

+19.98

+16.86

+15.76

+18.46

+16.99

+15.66

+16.82

+12.45

Halstead

recharge

site

Sedgwick

recharge

site

+25.53

886 +20.92

1

+10

Study area

Area of water-level recovery, in feet

+10 to +20

+20 to +30

Greater than +30

Line of equal change of water level—

 Interval 2 feet. Dashed where

 approximately located

Artificial recharge demonstration site—

 Halstead site in operation May 1997–

 June 2002; Sedgwick site in operation 

 April 1998–November 2000

Well hydrograph shown in figure 2

Equus beds historic observation well

EXPLANATION

Upper number is well identification number. Lower

number is water-level change, in feet. Negative 

number indicates water level was less than in

October 1992.

Water-level measurements were made by city of 

Wichita personnel.

Recovery of storage volume in study area between

October 1992 and April 2000 was 182,000 acre-feet.

Figure 23. Water-level change in Equus Beds aquifer in study area, October 1992–April 2000.
Ground-Water-Level Changes 29

T.

25

S.

T.

24

S.

T.

23

S.

R. 3 W. R. 2 W. R. 1 W.

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital

data, 1:100,000, 1983 

Universal Transverse Mercator Projection, Zone 14

Kisiwa

Little

Little

Arkansas

River

River

River

Emma

Creek

West

Emma Creek

Creek

Sand

Creek

Arkansas

Mount 

Hope

Patterson

Burrton

Sedgwick

Halstead

Valley

Center

HARVEY COUNTY

SEDGWICK COUNTY

0 1 2 3 4 MILES

0 1 2 3 4 KILOMETERS

30'

East

Emma

Middle

Emma

Creek

Creek

Arkansas

97

 ̊ 97 22'30"  ̊

37'30"

38 ̊

37 ̊52'30"

-10

-4

-6

-6

-6

-8

-6

-6

0

0

-2

-2

-8

-8

+2

+2

-4

-4

-4

-4

-4

+2

-6

-4 -6

-2

+2

-4

-2

0

-6

-2

1

8

9

5

4

3

2

7

821

6

13

16

22

25

24

23

21

20 19

18

14

12

33

34

31

30

42

55

54

53

52

51

50

49

48

47

46

45

44

41

40

39

38

37

36

35

32 29

28

27

26

17

15

10

11

892

870 842

880

889

886

853

840

839

833

832

817

815

826

506

307

P31

P32

P30

P29

101

P35

P27

P28

890

133

130

126

124

122

120

118

117

115

114

113

112

111

110

109

108

107

104 105

103

102

816

878

3032

3001

3035

3050

3045

3044

3041

3038

3034

3033

3004

3002

1191

1190

1187

1186

1179

1176

1175

1171 1174

3036

1189 2084

1173

3005

+1.68

-2.43

-4.00 -3.23

-6.35

+0.58

-1.25

-0.20

+0.62

-0.76

-1.74

-0.26

-3.50

+0.55

-0.67 +2.80

+0.17

+0.84

-4.41 +1.45

-0.80

-6.24

-6.20

-9.33

-2.55

-4.08

-5.44

-1.02

-1.33

-4.93

-2.54

-5.20

-4.89

-2.00

-4.98

-8.49

-4.86

-6.33

-5.10 +0.47

-3.05

-1.43

-2.37

-1.22

-9.27

-4.36

-3.97

-4.37

-4.77

-2.29

-4.26

-5.25

-3.29

-3.76

+1.75

-0.87

+2.92

-2.02

-1.60

-1.86

-2.08

-1.90

-5.32

-5.73

-2.76

-4.66

-3.34

-2.04

-3.50 -2.92 -3.05

-1.86

-2.16

+0.05

-1.82

-4.36

-4.47

-2.75

-5.49

-3.43

-5.70

-3.85

-0.08

-0.78

-1.64

-6.90

-1.03

-3.99

-1.49

-7.80

+3.30 +2.64

-3.92

-2.68

-3.82

-3.85

-2.70

-3.70

-9.41

-6.18

-6.20

-3.94

-4.51

-6.53

-2.24

-6.59

-3.75

-1.06

-2.72

-3.50

-7.39 -8.04

-6.51

-7.31

-6.63

-7.90

-4.97

+0.50

-0.20

+3.24 -0.71

+1.41

+1.36

+0.60

+0.11

-0.86 -3.84

-10.55 -6.14

Halstead

recharge

site

Sedgwick

recharge

site

-6.35

886

-2.55

1

-10

Study area

Area of water-level recovery, in feet

0 to +10

Area of water-level decline, in feet

Greater than 10

Line of equal change of water level—

 Interval 2 feet. Dashed where

 approximately located

Artificial recharge demonstration site—

 Halstead site in operation May 1997–

 June 2002; Sedgwick site in operation 

 April 1998–November 2000

Well hydrograph shown in figure 2

Equus beds historic observation well

EXPLANATION

Upper number is well identification number. Lower

number is water-level change, in feet. Negative 

number indicates water level was less than in

April 2000.

Water-level measurements were made by city of 

Wichita personnel.

Depletion of storage volume in study area between April 2000 and January 2003 was 58,000 acre-feet.

Figure 24. Water-level change in Equus Beds aquifer in study area, April 2000–January 2003.
30 Status of Ground-Water Levels and Storage Volume in the Equus Beds Aquifer, January 2000–January 2003

T.

25

S.

T.

24

S.

T.

23

S.

R. 3 W. R. 2 W. R. 1 W.

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital

data, 1:100,000, 1983 

Universal Transverse Mercator Projection, Zone 14

Kisiwa

Little

Little

Arkansas

River

River

River

Emma

Creek

West

Emma

Creek

Creek

Sand

Creek

Arkansas

Mount 

Hope

Patterson

Burrton

Sedgwick

Halstead

Valley

Center

HARVEY COUNTY

SEDGWICK COUNTY

0 1 2 3 4 MILES

0 1 2 3 4 KILOMETERS East

Emma

Middle

Emma

Creek

Creek

Arkansas

30' 97

 ̊ 97 22'30"  ̊

37'30"

38 ̊

37 ̊52'30"

-2

-2

-2

-2

0

-4

-6

-4

+2

+4

+2

+2

-2

+2

+2

-4

+2

0

-4

-2

-2

+2

+2

0

+2

0

-4 +2

1

8

9

5

3 4

2

7

6

13

16

22

25 24

23

21

20 19

18

14

12

33

34 30 31

42

55

54

53

52

51

50 49

48

46 47

45

44

41

40

39

38

37

36

32 35

29

28

27

26

17

15

10

11

892

870 842

880

889

886

853

840

839

833

832

817

815

506

307

P31

P32

P30

P29

101

P35

P27

890

133

130

126

124

120

122

118

117

115

114

113

112

111

110

109

108

107

105 104

103

102

816

878

3032

3001

3035

3050

3045

3044

3041

3038

3034

3033

3004

3002

1191

1190

1187

1186

1179

1176

1175

1171 1174

3036

1189 2084

1173

3005

+2.67

-1.00

-2.48 -2.80

+5.88

+1.88

+2.67

+0.05

+2.13

+0.42

-1.21

+1.71

+0.33

+1.94

+0.37 +3.07

+1.24

+2.02

-2.47 +2.47

+0.23

-1.72 -3.80

-0.74

-4.27

+0.13

-2.16

-3.96

+0.18

-1.22

-2.45

-1.72

-4.61

-1.79

-0.57

-5.21

-6.31

-3.87

-3.41 +2.58

-2.10

-0.12 -0.44

-0.97

-5.09

-3.06

-3.10

-1.88

-2.23

-1.60

-1.19

-3.85

-3.08

-1.71

+1.45 +0.79

+3.12

-1.36 -1.57

-0.18

-1.42

-1.00

-5.04

-5.08

-2.69

-3.37

-2.29

-2.31 -2.51 -2.18

+0.54

-0.54 +1.15

+0.76

-0.95

-3.13

-2.80

-1.00

-3.12

-1.75

-3.22

-2.42

+0.23

+2.83

-0.45

-3.51

-0.94

-1.82

-0.70

-5.25

+2.86 +3.50

-1.96

-2.29

-1.75

-2.85

-2.07

-1.56

-5.76

-0.78

-5.46

-2.67

-2.86

-3.40

-1.20

-2.55

-2.52

-1.51

-1.55

-0.30

-4.12 -5.30

-2.64

-5.45

-4.87

-3.51

+1.77

+1.55

+3.60 +0.83

+1.84

+1.83

+1.41

+0.34

-4.02

+2.10

Halstead

recharge

site

Sedgwick

recharge

site

+5.88

1

Study area

Area of water-level recovery, in feet

0 to +10 

Line of equal change of water level—

 Interval 2 feet. Dashed where

 approximately located

Artificial recharge demonstration site—

 Halstead site in operation May 1997–

 June 2002; Sedgwick site in operation 

 April 1998–November 2000

Well hydrograph shown in figure 2

Equus beds historic observation well

EXPLANATION

Upper number is well identification number. Lower

number is water-level change, in feet. Negative 

number indicates water level was less than in 

January 2000.

Water-level measurements were made by city of 

Wichita personnel.

Depletion of storage volume in study area between January 2000 and January 2003 was 33,000 acre-feet.

+0.13

886

Figure 25. Water-level change in Equus Beds aquifer in study area, January 2000–January 2003.
Storage-Volume Changes 31

Almost all wells in the study area had cumulative water-level 

rises for the period October 1992 to January 2003 (fig. 22). For 

this period, a single large area of cumulative water-level rises of 

10 ft or more occurred throughout most of the central part of the 

study area, and two areas with rises of 20 ft or more occurred in 

the northern and central parts of the study area (fig. 22). 

Water-level declines since August 1940 for the period January 2000 to January 2003 covered the smallest area in April 

2000, as was noted previously in this report. This indicates that 

the general recovery of water levels from the low levels 

recorded in October 1992 to January 2000 discussed by Hansen 

and Aucott (2001) continued to April 2000. The cumulative 

water-level changes in the study area for the period October 

1992 to April 2000 ranged from a rise of 0.33 ft in well 1174 in 

the eastern part of the study area to a rise of 30.81 ft in well 4 

near the Halstead recharge site in the northern part of the study 

area (fig. 23). Water-level rises of more than 10 ft were common throughout the northern and central parts of the study area 

during this period with rises of more than 20 ft occurring in a 

large area in the northern and central parts of the study area (fig. 

23). Comparison of the water-level-change map for the period 

October 1992 to January 2003 (fig. 22) with the map for the 

period October 1992 to April 2000 (fig. 23) shows three major 

differences as a result of water-level declines. These differences are the decrease in size from the October 1992 to April 

2000 map to the October 1992 to January 2003 map of the area 

with water-level rises of 10 to 20 ft, especially in the northern 

part of the study area and towards the Little Arkansas River; the 

contraction and separation of a single area of water-level rises 

of 20 to 30 ft shown in the October 1992 to April 2000 map into 

two areas in the October 1992 to January 2003 map; and the disappearance in the October 1992 to January 2003 map of an area 

of water-level rises of 30 ft or more in the northern part of the 

study area that was shown in the October 1992 to April 2000 

map (compare figs. 22 and 23). The water-level rises for the 

October 1992 to April 2000 period likely are due to the generally average to greater-than-average precipitation during this 

period (fig. 2A), the resulting decreased irrigation pumpage, and 

the decreased city pumpage because of increased city use of 

Cheney Reservoir as a source of water.

The map for the period April 2000 to January 2003 shows 

the cumulative water-level changes that occurred following the 

period of maximum recovery (fig. 24). The cumulative waterlevel changes for this period ranged from a decline of 10.55 ft 

in well 4 in the northern part of the study area to a rise of 3.30 ft 

in well 1174 just east of the central part of the study area 

(fig. 24). Cumulative water-level declines for the period April 

2000 to January 2003 were common in the study area (fig. 24). 

Declines of 6 ft or more occurred in the northern, eastern, and 

southeastern parts of the study area and even included a small 

area of water-level declines of more than 10 ft around well 4 in 

the northern part of the study area (fig. 24). The water-level 

declines in the study area for the period April 2000 to January 

2003 likely are due to increased irrigation and to precipitation 

that generally was less during 2000 through 2002 than during 

the preceding 5 years (figs. 2A and 2B). However, in the central 

part of the study area small water-level rises that generally were 

less than 2 ft were not uncommon (fig. 24), indicating that water 

levels inside this part of the study area continued to recover during the period April 2000 to January 2003 from the record low 

levels of October 1992. The continued recovery in the central 

part of the study area during the period April 2000 to January 

2003 probably is due to decreased city pumpage that resulted 

from increased city use of Cheney Reservoir as a water source 

(fig. 2B).

For readers who prefer to deemphasize the effect of waterlevel rises and declines due to seasonal factors, the period January 2000 to January 2003 can be used instead of the period 

April 2000 to January 2003 to illustrate the cumulative waterlevel changes that occurred after the post-October 1992 to early 

2000 recovery period. The water-level-change map for the 

period January 2000 to January 2003 (fig. 25) also shows the 

cumulative change that has occurred since the last report on 

water levels in the area (Hansen and Aucott, 2001). Maximum 

cumulative water-level changes from January 2000 to January 

2003 ranged from a decline of 6.31 ft in well P32 in the northwestern part of the study area to a rise of 5.88 ft in well 1 in the 

northern part of the study area (fig. 25). The pattern of waterlevel changes for the period January 2000 to January 2003 

(fig. 25) was similar to that for April 2000 to January 2003 

(fig. 24). However, because the water-level-change map for 

January 2000 to January 2003 includes the recoveries that 

occurred between January and April 2000, the areas of waterlevel rises were larger, and the magnitude of the water-level 

declines generally were smaller than those seen in the April 

2000 to January 2003 map (compare figs. 24 and 25). For 

example, water-level rises in the central part of the study area 

typically were less than 4 ft, and water-level declines of 6 ft or 

more were restricted to the extreme northwestern part of the 

study area (fig. 25). For the period January 2000 to January 

2003, water-level rises in the central part of the study area probably were due to decreased city pumpage, and water-level 

declines in the rest of the study area probably were due to 

decreased precipitation and increased irrigation pumpage 

(figs. 2A and 2B).

Storage-Volume Changes

Changes in storage volume are defined for the purposes of 

this report as the change in saturated aquifer volume multiplied 

by the specific yield of the aquifer. A specific yield of 0.2 has 

been used to compute the changes in storage volume in the 

Equus Beds aquifer since Stramel (1956) first computed storage 

volume for the Equus Beds aquifer. The use of a specific yield 

of 0.2 was retained in this report because, as reported by Hansen 

and Aucott (2001), it is within the range of most estimates of 

specific yield and because there is no general agreement on an 

average value of specific yield for the Equus Beds aquifer in the 

study area.
32 Status of Ground-Water Levels and Storage Volume in the Equus Beds Aquifer, January 2000–January 2003

Changes in storage volume since August 1940 shown in 

table 1 were computed using the aquifer volume from areas 

inside lines of equal water-level change for the selected time 

periods. Changes in storage volume since times other than 

August 1940, as shown in table 1, were calculated as the difference between changes in storage volumes for August 1940 to 

the beginning of the selected time period and August 1940 to 

the end of the selected time period. For example, the change in 

storage volume for January 2000 to January 2003, as shown in 

table 1, was calculated as the difference between changes in 

storage volumes for August 1940 to January 2000 and August 

1940 to January 2003.

The changes in storage volume since predevelopment 

(August 1940) and for selected periods are shown in table 1 for 

both the study area and the central part of the study area. The 

percentage of the study area’s storage-volume change that 

occurred in the central part of the study area (table 1) was computed by dividing the storage-volume change in the central part 

of the study area by the storage-volume change in the whole 

study area and multiplying by 100.

Following the maximum loss of storage that occurred from 

August 1940 to October 1992 (Hansen and Aucott, 2001), storage volume recovered until April 2000 in the study area as a 

whole, but only until January 2000 in the central part of the 

study area (table 1). Storage-volume depletions from August 

1940 to April 2000 were only about 101,000 acre-ft in the study 

area (table 1); in the central part of the study area, storagevolume depletion from August 1940 to January 2000 was about 

70,600 acre-ft (table 1). These volumes represent recoveries of 

about 64 percent and about 56 percent of the August 1940 to 

Table 1. Storage-volume changes in Equus Beds aquifer near Wichita, south-central Kansas, August 1940–January 2003.

[Data on file with U.S. Geological Survey, Lawrence, Kansas]

Time period

Storage-volume change, in acre-feet Proportion of change in study area that 

occurred in the central part of the 

study area

(percent) Within study area Within central part of study 

area

August 1940–October 1992 1-283,000

1

Storage-volume change previously reported by Hansen and Aucott (2001)

1-159,000 56

August 1940–January 1993 2 -255,000 2-154,000 60

August 1940–January 2000 1-126,000 1-70,600 56

August 1940–April 2000 -101,000 -74,500 74

August 1940–July 2000 -152,000 -76,700 50

August 1940–October 2000 -159,000 -87,000 55

August 1940–January 2001 -134,000 -78,900 59

August 1940–April 2001 -110,000 -72,500 66

August 1940–July 2001 -149,000 -74,900 50

August 1940–October 2001 -146,000 -76,700 52

August 1940–January 2002 -142,000 -77,100 54

August 1940–April 2002 -141,000 -74,900 53

August 1940–July 2002 -162,000 -78,600 49

August 1940–October 2002 -187,000 -90,100 48

August 1940–January 2003 -159,000 -83,400 52

October 1992–January 2000 +157,000 +88,400 56

October 1992–April 2000 +182,000 +84,500 46

October 1992–October 2002 +96,000 +68,000 72

October 1992–January 2003 +124,000 +75,600 61

January 2000–October 2002 -61,000 -19,500 32

January 2000–January 2003 -33,000 -12,800 39

April 2000–October 2002 -86,000 -15,600 18

April 2000–January 2003 -58,000 -8,900 15

2

Storage-volume change previously reported by Aucott and Myers (1998).
Storage-Volume Changes 33

October 1992 depletion that occurred, respectively, in the 

whole study area and in the central part of the study area. 

Although the central part of the study area makes up only 33 

percent of the study area as a whole, it accounted for about 46 

percent of the October 1992 to April 2000 storage-volume 

recovery in the study area (table 1). The storage-volume recoveries since October 1992 in both the study area and the central 

part of the study area were due to the general rise in groundwater levels associated with average to greater-than-average 

precipitation and to decreases in city and irrigation pumpage 

(figs. 2A and 2B). Water levels and storage-volume changes 

from August 1940 to April 2000 for the study area and from 

August 1940 to January 2000 for the central part of the study 

area were similar to changes observed from August 1940 to January 1970 (fig. 26), which occurred during the 1957–77 period 

of relatively stable water levels (figs. 2C) identified by Aucott 

and Myers (1998).

Since April 2000 in the study area and since January 2000 

in the central part of the study area, aquifer storage volume has 

tended to decrease (table 1 and fig. 2C). Whether this indicates 

the end of the period of general water-level and storage-volume 

recovery that began in January 1993 (Aucott and Myers, 1998) 

is not clear at this time (2003). Seasonal water-level declines 

and storage-volume depletions during 2000–02 (represented by 

storage-volume changes in July and October) were not completely recovered during the months that followed (represented 

by storage-volume changes in January and April) (table 1 and 

fig. 2C). 

The largest storage-volume depletion since August 1940 

for the period January 2000 to January 2003 occurred during 

October 2002 both in the study area and in the central part of the 

study area (table 1). The storage-volume changes for the period 

August 1940 to October 2002 (table 1) represent about 

86,000 acre-ft or a 47-percent loss of the storage recovered 

between October 1992 and April 2000 in the study area and 

about 19,500 acre-ft or a 22-percent loss of the storage recovered between October 1992 and January 2000 in the central part 

of the study area. Major factors in the decreases in water levels 

and storage volumes during the January 2000 to January 2003 

period were reduced recharge associated with precipitation that 

generally was less than in the preceding 5 years and increased 

irrigation pumpage (figs. 2A, 2B, and 2C).

Table 1 shows the central part of the study area accounted 

for only 8,900 acre-ft or about 15 percent of the storage-volume 

depletion in the whole study area for the period April 2000 to 

January 2003. This disproportionately small storage-volume 

depletion that occurred in the central part of the study area probably was the result of decreased city pumpage. This indicates 

that the loss of storage in the study area probably would have 

been larger if the continued decrease in city pumpage, which is 

closely associated with water-level rises in the central part of 

the study area and increased city use of Cheney Reservoir as a 

source of water, had not occurred. Storage volume in January 

2003 in the study area was similar to volumes seen in the late 

1970s and mid-1990s (fig. 2C).

Compared to the storage changes in the entire study area, 

the storage changes in the central part of the study area have 

remained relatively constant for the period January 2000 to January 2003 (table 1). This may be due in part to the small waterlevel rises in the central part of the study area [which likely were 

due to decreased city pumpage as a result of increased city use 

of Cheney Reservoir as a water source (fig. 2B)] that mostly offset the larger water-level declines along the edges of the central 

part of the study area (fig. 25). Thus, the loss of storage for this 

period probably would have been larger if the continued 

decrease in city pumpage had not occurred. It is interesting to 

note that the percentage of the study area depletion that 

occurred in the central part of the study area was less during the 

-300,000

-250,000

-200,000

-150,000

-100,000

-50,000

0

Aug. 1940

to Jan. 1957 

Aug. 1940

to Jan. 1970

Aug. 1940

to Oct. 1992 

Aug. 1940

to Jan. 2000

Aug. 1940

to Jan. 2003 

Aug. 1940

to Oct. 2002 

Aug. 1940

to Apr. 2000 

Change in storage, in acre-feet

Central part 

of study area

Study area

Figure 26. Storage-volume changes in Equus Beds aquifer in study area for significant periods during August 

1940–January 2003 (source: data on file with the U.S. Geological Survey, Lawrence, Kansas).
34 Status of Ground-Water Levels and Storage Volume in the Equus Beds Aquifer, January 2000–January 2003

“fall” season (represented by the months of July and October) 

than during the “spring” season (represented by the months of 

January and April). This likely is due to seasonal effects of 

increased irrigation pumpage during the growing season and to 

decreased city pumpage during the period January 2000 to 

January 2003. 

Effects of Artificial Recharge

In 1995, the city of Wichita began investigating the potential for artificial recharge to meet future water-supply needs and 

to protect the Equus Beds aquifer from the intrusion of saltwater 

from natural and human-related sources to the west (Ziegler and 

others, 1999). Two artificial recharge demonstration sites are 

located in the central part of the study area near Halstead and 

Sedgwick (fig. 1). Artificial recharge operations occurred during May 1997–June 2002 at the Halstead site and during April 

1998–November 2000 at the Sedgwick site. 

Although artificial recharge has totaled more than 

3,324 acre-ft during 1997 through May 2002 (U.S. Geological 

Survey, 2003b), this is equivalent to less than 3 percent of the 

approximately 139,000 acre-ft of water pumped by the city 

from the study area during 1997–2002 (Joan Kenny, U.S. Geological Survey, written commun., 2000 and 2003). The effect of 

the artificial recharge on water-level changes and storage volume is evident in wells near the recharge sites (Hansen and 

Aucott, 2001) but is not evident in study-area maps of waterlevel changes. For example, recharge occurred at the Halstead 

site throughout much of March and April 2001 (Heather Ross, 

U.S. Geological Survey, oral commun., September 2003), but 

no “mounding” of water from this recharge (indicated by contours bending around or enclosing an area of smaller declines) 

occurs on the August 1940–April 2001 water-level-change map 

near the Halstead site (fig. 13). The effects of artificial recharge 

probably were masked by the generally larger decreases in city 

pumpage in the central part of the study area, which went from 

about 24,600 acre-ft in 1997 to about 18,600 acre-ft in 2002 

(fig. 2B). As artificial recharge moves from the demonstration 

stage to the production stage, its effect on water levels and storage volume in the study area may become more obvious.

Summary

The Equus Beds aquifer in southwestern Harvey County 

and northwestern Sedgwick County was developed to supply 

water to Wichita residents and for irrigation in south-central 

Kansas beginning on September 1, 1940. Ground-water pumpage for city and agricultural use from the aquifer caused water 

levels to decline in a large part of the area. Irrigation pumpage 

in the area increased substantially during the 1970s and 1980s 

and accelerated water-level declines. Most of the water-level 

declines can be attributed to ground-water pumping; however, 

climatic conditions (and thus recharge to the Equus Beds aquifer) also have affected ground-water levels. In 1965, the city of 

Wichita began using water from Cheney Reservoir in addition 

to water from the Equus Beds aquifer. Since 1995, the city has 

been investigating the use of artificial recharge in the study area 

to meet future water-supply needs and to protect the aquifer 

from the intrusion of saltwater from natural and human-related 

sources to the west.

 A period of water-level rises associated with generally 

greater-than-average precipitation and decreased city pumpage 

from the study area began in 1993. An important factor in the 

decreased city pumpage was increased use of Cheney Reservoir 

by the city of Wichita as a water-supply source; as a result, city 

pumpage from the Equus Beds aquifer during 1993–2002 went 

from being greater than one-half to slightly less than one-third 

of Wichita’s water usage.

During January 2003, the direction of ground-water flow 

in the Equus Beds aquifer in the study area generally was from 

west to east, similar to predevelopment of the aquifer. The maximum water-level decline since 1940 for the period January 

2000 to January 2003 was 29.54 ft in July 2002 in well 3 in the 

northern part of the study area. The period with the smallest area 

of water-level declines since August 1940 for the period January 2000 to January 2003 was April 2000. The seasonal waterlevel changes in wells in most of the study area during the 

period January 2000 to January 2003 typically were less than 

5 ft. However, during 2000 and 2001, seasonal water-level 

changes of 20 to 25 ft occurred in the northern part of the study 

area, probably due to seasonal agricultural irrigation pumpage 

and semiconfined aquifer conditions. 

Almost all wells in the study area had cumulative waterlevel rises from the record low levels in October 1992 to January 2003. Water-level rises following October 1992 continued 

until April 2000 when cumulative water-level rises of 10 ft or 

more were common in the study area, and rises of more than 

20 ft occurred in a large area in the northern and central parts of 

the study area. These water-level rises likely were mostly due to 

generally average to greater-than-average precipitation and 

decreased city pumpage. Cumulative water-level declines, 

which likely were mostly due to increased irrigation pumpage 

and decreased precipitation, were common in the study area 

from April 2000 to January 2003, and declines of 6 or more ft 

occurred in the northern, eastern, and southeastern parts of the 

study area. However, small water-level rises that generally 

were less than 2 ft were not uncommon in the central part of the 

study area and probably were the result of the continued 

decrease in city pumpage.

Following the maximum loss of storage that occurred from 

August 1940 to October 1992, storage volume recovered until 

April 2000 in the study area. The storage-volume depletion of 

101,000 acre-ft from August 1940 to April 2000 represents a 

recovery of about 64 percent of the January 1940 to October 

1992 depletion in the study area; about 46 percent of this recovery occurred in the central part of the study area. The recovery 

was due to the general rises in ground-water levels associated 

with average to greater-than-average precipitation and to 

decreases in city and irrigation pumpage. Storage-volume 
Selected References 35

changes from August 1940 to January 2000 in the study area 

were similar to changes observed from August 1940 to January 

1970, which occurred during the 1957–77 period of relatively 

stable water levels.

Since April 2000 aquifer storage volume in the study area 

has tended to decrease. The largest storage-volume depletion 

since August 1940 for the period January 2000 to January 2003 

occurred during October 2002 when the storage volume in the 

study area represented about a 47-percent loss of the storage 

previously recovered between October 1992 and April 2000. 

However, the central part of the study area accounted for only 

about 15 percent of the loss of storage in the study area for the 

period April 2000 to January 2003. Thus, the loss of storage 

probably would have been larger if the continued decrease in 

city pumpage, which is closely associated with the water-level 

rises in the central part of the study area and increased city use 

of Cheney Reservoir as a source of water, had not occurred. 

Storage volume in January 2003 was similar to volumes during 

the late 1970s and mid-1990s.

Operation of the Halstead and Sedgwick artificial recharge 

demonstration sites began in May 1997. Artificial recharge 

from 1997 through May 2002 was equivalent to less than 3 percent of city pumpage from the Equus Beds aquifer in the study 

area during 1997–2002. The effects of artificial recharge on 

water-level changes and storage volume in the study area probably were masked by the generally larger decreases in city 

pumpage from the Equus Beds aquifer. 

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