New & Noteworthy

 Ground-Water Availability in the United States (Circular 1323)

 CFP: Conduit Flow Process for MODFLOW-2005

 GSFLOW: A New Model for Simulation of Ground-Water and Surface-Water Interaction

 SEAWAT v4: Simulation of 3D Variable-Density Ground-Water Flow and Transport

USGS Ground-Water Watch

USGS maintains a network of active wells to provide basic statistics about ground-water levels.

USGS in Your State

USGS Water Science Centers are located in each state.

Ground-Water Networks

Ground-water hydrology is an interpretive science; because we cannot observe the resource directly, we must interpolate and extrapolate our understanding from known points of data. Water-level measurements from observation wells are the principal source of information about the hydrologic stresses acting on aquifers and how these stresses affect ground-water recharge, storage, and discharge.

A ground-water network is a set of wells at which water levels are routinely measured. The goal of ground-water network design is to allocate available funds, human resources, equipment, and time to efficiently obtain the ground-water data needed for operating, administering, managing, researching, and planning water-resources programs. The report "Ground-Water-Level Monitoring and the Importance of Long-Term Water-Level Data" by Taylor and Alley discusses the need and use for long-term water-level data. The following references offer some examples of qualitative and quantitative methods for evaluating and designing networks. This is not a comprehensive list, but a starting point for the topic of ground-water networks.

Selected References

Conger, R.W, 1997, Evaluation of selected wells in Pennsylvania's observation-well program as of 1993: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 96-4319. 73 pp.

Frost, L.R., O'Hearn, Michael, Gibb, J.P., Sherrill, M.G., 1984, Illinois ground-water observation network - a preliminary planning document: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 84-584, p.

Heath, R.C., 1974, Why measure ground-water levels?: U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Division Bulletin, January-March, 1974, pp. 19-25.

Heath, R.C., 1976, Design of ground-water level observation-well programs: Ground Water, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 71-77.

Hudak, P.F., Loaiciga, H.A., and Schoolmaster, F.A., 1993, Application of geographic information systems to groundwater monitoring network design: Water Resources Bulletin, vol. 29, no. 3, pp. 383-390.

Kim, N.J., Cho, M.J., and Woo, N.C., 1995, Developing a national groundwater-monitoring network in Korea: Hydrogeology Journal, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 89-94.

Lambert, R.B., 1992, The ground-water-level monitoring network in Iowa: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 92-27, 31 p.

Melvin, R.L., 1986, Connecticut observation wells - guidelines for network modification: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 85-4079, 24 p.

Olea, R.A., 1984, Sampling design optimization for spatial functions: Mathematical Geology, v. 16, no. 4, p. 369-392.

Olea, R.A., and Davis, J.C., 1999, Optimizing the High Plains Aquifer Water-level Observation Network: Kansas Geological Survey Open File Report 1999-15

Peters, H.J., 1972, Criteria for groundwater level data networks for hydrologic and modeling purposes: Water Resources Research, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 194-200.

Reynolds, R.J., 1999, Evaluation of the Federal-State cooperative observation well network in upstate New York, 1995-97: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 99-468, 36 p.

Swain, E.D., and Sonenshein, R.S., 1994, Spatial and temporal statistical analysis of a ground-water level network, Broward County, Florida: USGS WRIR 94-4076

Taylor, G.C., 1975, Planning and design of ground-water networks: U.S. Geological Survey, Office of Ground Water Technical Memorandum 76.2. (http://water.usgs.gov/admin/memo/GW/gw76.02.html)

Wallace, J.C. and Crist, M.A., 1989, Procedures for evaluating observation-well networks in Wyoming, and application to northeastern Wyoming, 1986: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 88-4215, 29 p.

Winner, M.D., 1981, Proposed observation-well network and ground-water level program for North Carolina: USGS Open File Report 81-544

Winter, T.C., 1972, An approach to the design of statewide or regional groundwater information systems: Water Resources Research, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 222-230.

Winter, T.C., Mallory, S.E., Allen, T.R., and Rosenberry, D.O., 2000, The use of principal component analysis for interpreting ground-water hydrographs: Ground Water, v. 38, no. 2, p. 234-246.

Woldt, W. and Bogardi, I., 1992, Ground water monitoring network design using multiple criteria decision making and geostatistics: Water Resources Bulletin, vol. 28, no. 1, pp. 45-62.