12 Measuring Water Levels in Kansas Richard D. Miller Exploration Services, Kansas Geological Survey Rex Buchanan and Liz Brosius Public Outreach, Kansas Geological Survey Introduction Ground water is the primary water source for much of western Kansas. In order to effectively manage ground-water use, changes in water levels and the associated saturated thickness in aquifers are regularly and accurately monitored. The principal product of the water-level measurement program is a regional view of water levels in central and western Kansas. Regulatory agencies use this information to judiciously determine water appropriations. Groundwater management districts use the information to better understand the status of area water levels and to make management decisions.
Landowners use the data to make decisions about drilling and water use.
The purpose of this circular is to describe how wells are selected and measured, how the public can gain access to this information, and how this information is used. Selecting Wells to Measure Not all water wells in Kansas are measured as part of this program. Instead, a representative sampling of wells is made, so that the resulting measurements provide an accurate but cost-effective snapshot of water levels in the aquifer.