USGS - Water Resources in Kansas

Description of Study

The water supply for the city of Wichita, south-central Kansas, currently comes from the Equus Beds aquifer and Cheney Reservoir. Because these sources are not expected to meet projected city water needs into the 21^st century (Warren and others, 1995), artificial recharge of the Equus Beds aquifer is being investigated as one alternative to meet future water-supply demands. An additional potential benefit of artificial recharge includes preventing degradation of the water quality of the aquifer by saltwater plumes from the Arkansas River to the southwest and the Burrton oil field to the northwest (Ziegler and others, 1999).

Water from the Little Arkansas River was diverted for artificial recharge when flow in the river exceeded base flow.

USGS monitoring of the water quantity and quality has continued in the Little Arkansas River and at monitoring wells throughout the study area since the completion of the demonstration phase of the Equus Recharge Project (May 2002). An areal assessment for water quantity and water quality in the Equus Beds aquifer also began in November 2001.

Aug 1940 - April 2008 Water-level Change Map In addition USGS has documented Water level changes in the Equus Beds began in 1940.

The objectives of the HPWLMS are:

To assemble water-level measurements from the States that overlie the High Plains aquifer—Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming;
To map water-level changes in the aquifer from predevelopment (generally 1950) or 1980 to spring of the report year using water levels measured by Federal, State, and local agencies;
To determine change in water in storage in the aquifer using the water-level data and estimates of specific yield (Gutentag and others, 1984); and
Every two years, to report water-level changes and changes in water in storage to Congress and to the public.

To address water supply and quality issues in the Ozark Aquifer, the U.S. Geological Survey initiated a three- year study in August 2005 in cooperation with the efforts of the state water agencies in the Tri-State area (Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri). A model is being developed that will simulate ground-water flow within the Ozark and Springfield Plateau aquifers and include interaction between ground and surface water. The model will allow resource managers to simulate the effect of additional ground water withdrawals and provide valuable water availability information.

The study also will assess the current water-quality conditions in the Ozark aquifer and provide information on vertical variability of water quality within the aquifer near Pittsburg, Kansas, where brackish water intrusion is a concern.

Ground Water

Equus Beds Ground-Water Recharge Project

Description of Study

High Plains Water-Level Monitoring Study

OZARK AQUIFER STUDY