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Drew A Westerman

Drew Westerman is Assistant Director - Data Chief for the U.S. Geological Survey Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center at Little Rock.

He has worked in water resource investigations of groundwater and surface water that have included multiple states and six countries. Project responsibilities have included web-application design, Python programing, water resource computer modeling, and a full range of Geographic Information Systems endeavors. Drew graduated from University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a Bachelors of Science in Physics and a Masters in Earth Sciences and GIS. Outside of work, Drew actively contributes to the field of speleology through his caving adventures. 

 

Professional Experience

  • November 2010 – Present: Hydrologist/ Geographic Information (GIS) Specialist

  • January 2009 – November 2010: Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey

  • Principal investigator of hydrologic and unsteady-state hydraulic modeling project

  • Development of a groundwater flow model of the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer of southeastern Arkansas

  • Development of a preliminary watershed model of the Tigris-Euphrates River system in Iraq using GeoSFM

  • Development of surface-water and lake hydrodynamics models that include the simulation of suspended sediments and nutrients

  • Visualization of surface-water model inputs and results

  • Computer system administration, through software applications assistance and code/script development

Education and Certifications

  • M.S., Integrated Science and Mathematics, University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR), 2009

  • Graduate Certificate, in Geospatial Technology, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, 2009

  • B.S., Physics with Geology minor, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, 2007

Science and Products

Challenges for creating a site-specific groundwater-use record for the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system (central USA) from 1900 to 2010 Challenges for creating a site-specific groundwater-use record for the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system (central USA) from 1900 to 2010

Hydrologic budgets to determine groundwater availability are important tools for water-resource managers. One challenging component for developing hydrologic budgets is quantifying water use through time because historical and site-specific water-use data can be sparse or poorly documented. This research developed a groundwater-use record for the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system (central...
Authors
Katherine Knierim, Anna Nottmeier, Scott Worland, Drew Westerman, Brian Clark
By
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Hydrogeology and hydrologic conditions of the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system Hydrogeology and hydrologic conditions of the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system

The hydrogeology and hydrologic characteristics of the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system were characterized as part of ongoing U.S. Geological Survey efforts to assess groundwater availability across the Nation. The need for such a study in the Ozark Plateaus physiographic province (Ozark Plateaus) is highlighted by increasing demand on groundwater resources by the 5.3 million people of the...
Authors
Phillip Hays, Katherine J. Knierim, Brian Breaker, Drew Westerman, Brian Clark
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Water Availability and Use Science Program, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Altitudes and thicknesses of hydrogeologic units of the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma Altitudes and thicknesses of hydrogeologic units of the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma

A hydrogeologic framework was constructed to represent the altitudes and thicknesses of hydrogeologic units within the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system as part of a regional groundwater-flow model supported by the U.S. Geological Survey Water Availability and Use Science Program. The Ozark Plateaus aquifer system study area is nearly 70,000 square miles and includes parts of Arkansas...
Authors
Drew Westerman, Jonathan Gillip, Joseph Richards, Phillip Hays, Brian Clark
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Water Availability and Use Science Program, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Lithology, hydrologic characteristics, and water quality of the Arkansas River Valley alluvial aquifer in the vicinity of Van Buren, Arkansas Lithology, hydrologic characteristics, and water quality of the Arkansas River Valley alluvial aquifer in the vicinity of Van Buren, Arkansas

A study to assess the potential of the Arkansas River Valley alluvial aquifer in the vicinity of Van Buren, Arkansas, as a viable source of public-supply water was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Little Rock, District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. An important study component was to identify possible changes in hydrologic conditions following installation...
Authors
Timothy Kresse, Drew Westerman, Rheannon Hart
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Aquifers of Arkansas: protection, management, and hydrologic and geochemical characteristics of groundwater resources in Arkansas Aquifers of Arkansas: protection, management, and hydrologic and geochemical characteristics of groundwater resources in Arkansas

Sixteen aquifers in Arkansas that currently serve or have served as sources of water supply are described with respect to existing groundwater protection and management programs, geology, hydrologic characteristics, water use, water levels, deductive analysis, projections of hydrologic conditions, and water quality. State and Federal protection and management programs are described...
Authors
Timothy Kresse, Phillip Hays, Katherine Merriman, Jonathan Gillip, D. Todd Fugitt, Jane Spellman, Anna Nottmeier, Drew Westerman, Joshua Blackstock, James Battreal
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Mean annual, seasonal, and monthly precipitation and runoff in Arkansas, 1951-2011 Mean annual, seasonal, and monthly precipitation and runoff in Arkansas, 1951-2011

This report describes long-term annual, seasonal, and monthly means for precipitation and runoff in Arkansas for the period from 1951 through 2011. Precipitation means were estimated using data from the Parameter-elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model database; while total runoff, groundwater runoff, and surface runoff means were estimated using data from 123 active and...
Authors
Aaron L. Pugh, Drew Westerman
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Simulation of the June 11, 2010, flood along the Little Missouri River near Langley, Arkansas, using a hydrologic model coupled to a hydraulic model Simulation of the June 11, 2010, flood along the Little Missouri River near Langley, Arkansas, using a hydrologic model coupled to a hydraulic model

A substantial flood event occurred on June 11, 2010, causing the Little Missouri River to flow over much of the adjacent land area, resulting in catastrophic damages. Twenty fatalities occurred and numerous automobiles, cabins, and recreational vehicles were destroyed within the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Forest Service Albert Pike Recreation Area, at a dispersed campsite area in the
Authors
Drew Westerman, Brian Clark
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Enhancements to the Mississippi Embayment Regional Aquifer Study (MERAS) groundwater-flow model and simulations of sustainable water-level scenarios Enhancements to the Mississippi Embayment Regional Aquifer Study (MERAS) groundwater-flow model and simulations of sustainable water-level scenarios

Arkansas continues to be one of the largest users of groundwater in the Nation. As such, long-term planning and management are essential to ensure continued availability of groundwater and surface water for years to come. The Mississippi Embayment Regional Aquifer Study (MERAS) model was developed previously as a tool to evaluate groundwater availability within the Mississippi embayment...
Authors
Brian Clark, Drew Westerman, D. Fugitt
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Analysis and inundation mapping of the April-May 2011 flood at selected locations in northern and eastern Arkansas and southern Missouri Analysis and inundation mapping of the April-May 2011 flood at selected locations in northern and eastern Arkansas and southern Missouri

Precipitation that fell from April 19 through May 3, 2011, resulted in widespread flooding across northern and eastern Arkansas and southern Missouri. The first storm produced a total of approximately 16 inches of precipitation over an 8-day period, and the following storms produced as much as 12 inches of precipitation over a 2-day period. Moderate to major flooding occurred quickly...
Authors
Drew Westerman, Katherine R. Merriman, Jeanne De Lanois, Charles Berenbrock
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Simulated effects of hydrologic, water quality, and land-use changes of the Lake Maumelle watershed, Arkansas, 2004–10 Simulated effects of hydrologic, water quality, and land-use changes of the Lake Maumelle watershed, Arkansas, 2004–10

Lake Maumelle, located in central Arkansas northwest of the cities of Little Rock and North Little Rock, is one of two principal drinking-water supplies for the Little Rock, and North Little Rock, Arkansas, metropolitan areas. Lake Maumelle and the Maumelle River (its primary tributary) are more pristine than most other reservoirs and streams in the region with 80 percent of the land...
Authors
Rheannon Hart, W. Green, Drew Westerman, James C. Petersen, Jeanne DeLanois
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Simulation of the effects of groundwater withdrawals on water-level altitudes in the Sparta aquifer in the Bayou Meto-Grand Prairie area of eastern Arkansas, 2007-37 Simulation of the effects of groundwater withdrawals on water-level altitudes in the Sparta aquifer in the Bayou Meto-Grand Prairie area of eastern Arkansas, 2007-37

A groundwater-flow model of the Mississippi embayment was used to evaluate changes in water-level altitudes before (scenario 1) and after (scenario 2) the addition of wells that simulate potential future pumping from the Sparta aquifer in the Bayou Meto-Grand Prairie area of eastern Arkansas for the 30-year period from 2007 through 2037. Water-level altitudes at six model cell locations...
Authors
Brian Clark, Drew Westerman, D. Fugitt
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Effects of Simulated Land-Use Changes on Water Quality of Lake Maumelle, Arkansas Effects of Simulated Land-Use Changes on Water Quality of Lake Maumelle, Arkansas

Lake Maumelle is one of two principal drinking-water supplies for the Little Rock and North Little Rock metropolitan areas. Lake Maumelle and the Maumelle River (its primary tributary) are more pristine than most other reservoirs and streams in the region. However, as the Lake Maumelle watershed becomes increasingly more urbanized and timber harvesting becomes more frequent, concerns...
Authors
Rheannon Hart, Drew Westerman, James C. Petersen, W. Green, Jeanne De Lanois
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center
Sprinkler irrigation

Arkansas Water-Use Data Program

Short Title: Water-Use Data Program Project Chief: Drew Westerman Cooperators: Arkansas Naural Resources Commission Project Time Frame: 1985 - present Every 5 years since 1950, the USGS has conducted an inventory of water use in the United States. In 1978, the USGS initiated the National Water-Use Information Program to establish a nationwide water-use database. In 1985, the Arkansas Natural...
By
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center
Arkansas Water-Use Data Program

Arkansas Water-Use Data Program

Short Title: Water-Use Data Program Project Chief: Drew Westerman Cooperators: Arkansas Naural Resources Commission Project Time Frame: 1985 - present Every 5 years since 1950, the USGS has conducted an inventory of water use in the United States. In 1978, the USGS initiated the National Water-Use Information Program to establish a nationwide water-use database. In 1985, the Arkansas Natural...
Learn More
Arkansas Well Log Archive Database Illustration

Arkansas Well Log Archive Database

Short Title: Well Log Database Project Chief: Drew Westerman Cooperators: Arkansas Naural Resources Commission Project Time Frame: 2005 - present Arkansas water regulations require metering on ground-water withdrawals for all sustaining aquifers named by the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission (ANRC). Repercussions of these regulations have resulted in ground-water users contesting the aquifer...
By
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center
Arkansas Well Log Archive Database

Arkansas Well Log Archive Database

Short Title: Well Log Database Project Chief: Drew Westerman Cooperators: Arkansas Naural Resources Commission Project Time Frame: 2005 - present Arkansas water regulations require metering on ground-water withdrawals for all sustaining aquifers named by the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission (ANRC). Repercussions of these regulations have resulted in ground-water users contesting the aquifer...
Learn More
Meter Dial

Status of water resources within the Mississippi Alluvial Plain

The MAP area constitutes the third largest area of irrigated cropland in the United States. The area is approximately 29,000 square miles (19 million acres) and includes the States of Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana. The MAP is primarily relied upon for agriculture with irrigation use increasing several-fold beginning from about 1965. Water-level declines began in parts...
By
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center
Status of water resources within the Mississippi Alluvial Plain

Status of water resources within the Mississippi Alluvial Plain

The MAP area constitutes the third largest area of irrigated cropland in the United States. The area is approximately 29,000 square miles (19 million acres) and includes the States of Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana. The MAP is primarily relied upon for agriculture with irrigation use increasing several-fold beginning from about 1965. Water-level declines began in parts...
Learn More
Water Well

Water Budget for the Mississippi Alluvial Plain

Water is a critical resource for the agricultural and industrial practices in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP). The heavy use of this water, however, is gradually depleting groundwater resources and altering the availability of water for future use. Accurate and ongoing assessments of water availability in the MAP region are critically important for making well-informed management decisions...
By
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center
Water Budget for the Mississippi Alluvial Plain

Water Budget for the Mississippi Alluvial Plain

Water is a critical resource for the agricultural and industrial practices in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP). The heavy use of this water, however, is gradually depleting groundwater resources and altering the availability of water for future use. Accurate and ongoing assessments of water availability in the MAP region are critically important for making well-informed management decisions...
Learn More
Ohmmapper system electrodes -ATV

Enhanced Characterization of the MAP Groundwater System

The current characterization of the MAP groundwater system relies on information gained through various methods at individual well locations. To complete a full picture of the system, the information between these points are assumed to continue over large areas. As a result, a detailed characterization of the MAP groundwater system suitable to evaluate water sustainability at the scales now...
By
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center
Enhanced Characterization of the MAP Groundwater System

Enhanced Characterization of the MAP Groundwater System

The current characterization of the MAP groundwater system relies on information gained through various methods at individual well locations. To complete a full picture of the system, the information between these points are assumed to continue over large areas. As a result, a detailed characterization of the MAP groundwater system suitable to evaluate water sustainability at the scales now...
Learn More
Water Use Site Retrieval Page Icon

Arkansas Water Use Program

In 1977, the Congress of the United States recognized the need for uniform, current, and reliable information on water use and directed the U.S. Geological Survey to establish a National Water-Use Information Program (NWUIP) to complement the Survey's data on the availability and quality of the Nations water resources. Since 1985 site-specific water-use data for several categories have been...
By
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center
Arkansas Water Use Program

Arkansas Water Use Program

In 1977, the Congress of the United States recognized the need for uniform, current, and reliable information on water use and directed the U.S. Geological Survey to establish a National Water-Use Information Program (NWUIP) to complement the Survey's data on the availability and quality of the Nations water resources. Since 1985 site-specific water-use data for several categories have been...
Learn More

Digitized Maps of the Potentiometric Surface of the Sparta Aquifer in North-Central Louisiana, 1886 to 2012 (ver. 1.1, April 2021) Digitized Maps of the Potentiometric Surface of the Sparta Aquifer in North-Central Louisiana, 1886 to 2012 (ver. 1.1, April 2021)

The Sparta aquifer is a primary source of groundwater in north-central Louisiana with more than 60 million gallons of water per day being withdrawn in 2015, and public supply and Industry account for over 90 percent of the water-use demand from the Sparta aquifer (Collier, 2018). Concentrated withdrawals from the Sparta aquifer have caused regional water-level declines within the Sparta...
By
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Georeferenced Maps of the Thickness of the Sparta Aquifer in MS, AR, and LA, 1961 to 1996 Georeferenced Maps of the Thickness of the Sparta Aquifer in MS, AR, and LA, 1961 to 1996

The Sparta aquifer is a primary source of groundwater in north-central Louisiana. In 2015, more than 60 million gallons per day were withdrawn from the Sparta aquifer, of which over 90 percent was used for public supply and industrial purposes (Collier, 2018). Concentrated withdrawals from the Sparta aquifer have caused regional water-level declines within the Sparta aquifer (McGee and...
By
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Mississippi Alluvial Plain Extent, November 2017 Mississippi Alluvial Plain Extent, November 2017

The Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP) has become one of the most important agricultural regions in the US, and it relies heavily on a groundwater system that is poorly understood and shows signs of substantial change. The heavy use of the available groundwater resources has resulted in significant groundwater-level declines and reductions in base flow in streams within the MAP. These...
By
South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC)

Altitudes and Thicknesses of Hydrogeologic Units of the Ozark Plateaus Aquifer System in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma Altitudes and Thicknesses of Hydrogeologic Units of the Ozark Plateaus Aquifer System in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma

A hydrogeologic framework was constructed to represent the altitudes and thicknesses of hydrogeologic units within the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system (hereinafter referred to as the Ozark system). The Ozark system study area is nearly 70,000 square miles and includes parts of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Nine hydrogeologic units were selected for delineation within the Ozark...
By
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Groundwater withdrawal rates from the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system, 1900 to 2010 Groundwater withdrawal rates from the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system, 1900 to 2010

Groundwater is an often overlooked freshwater resource compared to surface water, but groundwater is used widely across the United States, especially during periods of drought. If groundwater models can successfully simulate past conditions, they may be used to evaluate potential future pumping scenarios or climate conditions, thus providing a valuable planning tool for water-resource...
By
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center
Real-time flow meter on an Arkansas irrigation well
Real-time flow meter on an Arkansas irrigation well
Real-time flow meter on an Arkansas irrigation well
Real-time flow meter on an Arkansas irrigation well

Real-time flow meter on an Arkansas irrigation well

Real-time flow meter on an Arkansas irrigation well

Real-time flow meter installed on a center-pivot irrigation well in Mississippi County, Arkansas as part of a cooperative project conducted between USGS and the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission. The meter will measure water use for irrigation, providing data which will help improve water-use information in other locations as well.

By
Water Resources, Water Availability and Use Science Program
Real-time flow meter on an Arkansas irrigation well

Real-time flow meter on an Arkansas irrigation well

Real-time flow meter on an Arkansas irrigation well

Real-time flow meter installed on a center-pivot irrigation well in Mississippi County, Arkansas as part of a cooperative project conducted between USGS and the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission. The meter will measure water use for irrigation, providing data which will help improve water-use information in other locations as well.

By
Water Resources, Water Availability and Use Science Program

Water Use Site Retrieval - Lower Mississippi Gulf Arkansas Water Use Site Retrieval - Lower Mississippi Gulf Arkansas

In 1977, the Congress of the United States recognized the need for uniform, current, and reliable information on water use and directed the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to establish a National Water-Use Information Program (NWUIP) to complement the Survey's data on the availability and quality of the Nations water resources.
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Water Availability and Use Science Program, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Arkansas Waterwell Arkansas Waterwell

The Arkansas Water Well Construction Commission (AWWCC) was formed by the Arkansas General Assembly in 1969 to protect the general health, safety, and welfare of Arkansans by regulating water well construction and pump installation. The AWWCC’s rules provide a framework for proper development of underground water in an efficient, orderly, sanitary, reasonable, and safe manner.
By
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Science and Products

Challenges for creating a site-specific groundwater-use record for the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system (central USA) from 1900 to 2010 Challenges for creating a site-specific groundwater-use record for the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system (central USA) from 1900 to 2010

Hydrologic budgets to determine groundwater availability are important tools for water-resource managers. One challenging component for developing hydrologic budgets is quantifying water use through time because historical and site-specific water-use data can be sparse or poorly documented. This research developed a groundwater-use record for the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system (central...
Authors
Katherine Knierim, Anna Nottmeier, Scott Worland, Drew Westerman, Brian Clark
By
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Hydrogeology and hydrologic conditions of the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system Hydrogeology and hydrologic conditions of the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system

The hydrogeology and hydrologic characteristics of the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system were characterized as part of ongoing U.S. Geological Survey efforts to assess groundwater availability across the Nation. The need for such a study in the Ozark Plateaus physiographic province (Ozark Plateaus) is highlighted by increasing demand on groundwater resources by the 5.3 million people of the...
Authors
Phillip Hays, Katherine J. Knierim, Brian Breaker, Drew Westerman, Brian Clark
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Water Availability and Use Science Program, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Altitudes and thicknesses of hydrogeologic units of the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma Altitudes and thicknesses of hydrogeologic units of the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma

A hydrogeologic framework was constructed to represent the altitudes and thicknesses of hydrogeologic units within the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system as part of a regional groundwater-flow model supported by the U.S. Geological Survey Water Availability and Use Science Program. The Ozark Plateaus aquifer system study area is nearly 70,000 square miles and includes parts of Arkansas...
Authors
Drew Westerman, Jonathan Gillip, Joseph Richards, Phillip Hays, Brian Clark
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Water Availability and Use Science Program, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Lithology, hydrologic characteristics, and water quality of the Arkansas River Valley alluvial aquifer in the vicinity of Van Buren, Arkansas Lithology, hydrologic characteristics, and water quality of the Arkansas River Valley alluvial aquifer in the vicinity of Van Buren, Arkansas

A study to assess the potential of the Arkansas River Valley alluvial aquifer in the vicinity of Van Buren, Arkansas, as a viable source of public-supply water was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Little Rock, District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. An important study component was to identify possible changes in hydrologic conditions following installation...
Authors
Timothy Kresse, Drew Westerman, Rheannon Hart
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Aquifers of Arkansas: protection, management, and hydrologic and geochemical characteristics of groundwater resources in Arkansas Aquifers of Arkansas: protection, management, and hydrologic and geochemical characteristics of groundwater resources in Arkansas

Sixteen aquifers in Arkansas that currently serve or have served as sources of water supply are described with respect to existing groundwater protection and management programs, geology, hydrologic characteristics, water use, water levels, deductive analysis, projections of hydrologic conditions, and water quality. State and Federal protection and management programs are described...
Authors
Timothy Kresse, Phillip Hays, Katherine Merriman, Jonathan Gillip, D. Todd Fugitt, Jane Spellman, Anna Nottmeier, Drew Westerman, Joshua Blackstock, James Battreal
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Mean annual, seasonal, and monthly precipitation and runoff in Arkansas, 1951-2011 Mean annual, seasonal, and monthly precipitation and runoff in Arkansas, 1951-2011

This report describes long-term annual, seasonal, and monthly means for precipitation and runoff in Arkansas for the period from 1951 through 2011. Precipitation means were estimated using data from the Parameter-elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model database; while total runoff, groundwater runoff, and surface runoff means were estimated using data from 123 active and...
Authors
Aaron L. Pugh, Drew Westerman
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Simulation of the June 11, 2010, flood along the Little Missouri River near Langley, Arkansas, using a hydrologic model coupled to a hydraulic model Simulation of the June 11, 2010, flood along the Little Missouri River near Langley, Arkansas, using a hydrologic model coupled to a hydraulic model

A substantial flood event occurred on June 11, 2010, causing the Little Missouri River to flow over much of the adjacent land area, resulting in catastrophic damages. Twenty fatalities occurred and numerous automobiles, cabins, and recreational vehicles were destroyed within the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Forest Service Albert Pike Recreation Area, at a dispersed campsite area in the
Authors
Drew Westerman, Brian Clark
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Enhancements to the Mississippi Embayment Regional Aquifer Study (MERAS) groundwater-flow model and simulations of sustainable water-level scenarios Enhancements to the Mississippi Embayment Regional Aquifer Study (MERAS) groundwater-flow model and simulations of sustainable water-level scenarios

Arkansas continues to be one of the largest users of groundwater in the Nation. As such, long-term planning and management are essential to ensure continued availability of groundwater and surface water for years to come. The Mississippi Embayment Regional Aquifer Study (MERAS) model was developed previously as a tool to evaluate groundwater availability within the Mississippi embayment...
Authors
Brian Clark, Drew Westerman, D. Fugitt
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Analysis and inundation mapping of the April-May 2011 flood at selected locations in northern and eastern Arkansas and southern Missouri Analysis and inundation mapping of the April-May 2011 flood at selected locations in northern and eastern Arkansas and southern Missouri

Precipitation that fell from April 19 through May 3, 2011, resulted in widespread flooding across northern and eastern Arkansas and southern Missouri. The first storm produced a total of approximately 16 inches of precipitation over an 8-day period, and the following storms produced as much as 12 inches of precipitation over a 2-day period. Moderate to major flooding occurred quickly...
Authors
Drew Westerman, Katherine R. Merriman, Jeanne De Lanois, Charles Berenbrock
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Simulated effects of hydrologic, water quality, and land-use changes of the Lake Maumelle watershed, Arkansas, 2004–10 Simulated effects of hydrologic, water quality, and land-use changes of the Lake Maumelle watershed, Arkansas, 2004–10

Lake Maumelle, located in central Arkansas northwest of the cities of Little Rock and North Little Rock, is one of two principal drinking-water supplies for the Little Rock, and North Little Rock, Arkansas, metropolitan areas. Lake Maumelle and the Maumelle River (its primary tributary) are more pristine than most other reservoirs and streams in the region with 80 percent of the land...
Authors
Rheannon Hart, W. Green, Drew Westerman, James C. Petersen, Jeanne DeLanois
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Simulation of the effects of groundwater withdrawals on water-level altitudes in the Sparta aquifer in the Bayou Meto-Grand Prairie area of eastern Arkansas, 2007-37 Simulation of the effects of groundwater withdrawals on water-level altitudes in the Sparta aquifer in the Bayou Meto-Grand Prairie area of eastern Arkansas, 2007-37

A groundwater-flow model of the Mississippi embayment was used to evaluate changes in water-level altitudes before (scenario 1) and after (scenario 2) the addition of wells that simulate potential future pumping from the Sparta aquifer in the Bayou Meto-Grand Prairie area of eastern Arkansas for the 30-year period from 2007 through 2037. Water-level altitudes at six model cell locations...
Authors
Brian Clark, Drew Westerman, D. Fugitt
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Effects of Simulated Land-Use Changes on Water Quality of Lake Maumelle, Arkansas Effects of Simulated Land-Use Changes on Water Quality of Lake Maumelle, Arkansas

Lake Maumelle is one of two principal drinking-water supplies for the Little Rock and North Little Rock metropolitan areas. Lake Maumelle and the Maumelle River (its primary tributary) are more pristine than most other reservoirs and streams in the region. However, as the Lake Maumelle watershed becomes increasingly more urbanized and timber harvesting becomes more frequent, concerns...
Authors
Rheannon Hart, Drew Westerman, James C. Petersen, W. Green, Jeanne De Lanois
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center
Sprinkler irrigation

Arkansas Water-Use Data Program

Short Title: Water-Use Data Program Project Chief: Drew Westerman Cooperators: Arkansas Naural Resources Commission Project Time Frame: 1985 - present Every 5 years since 1950, the USGS has conducted an inventory of water use in the United States. In 1978, the USGS initiated the National Water-Use Information Program to establish a nationwide water-use database. In 1985, the Arkansas Natural...
By
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center
Arkansas Water-Use Data Program

Arkansas Water-Use Data Program

Short Title: Water-Use Data Program Project Chief: Drew Westerman Cooperators: Arkansas Naural Resources Commission Project Time Frame: 1985 - present Every 5 years since 1950, the USGS has conducted an inventory of water use in the United States. In 1978, the USGS initiated the National Water-Use Information Program to establish a nationwide water-use database. In 1985, the Arkansas Natural...
Learn More
Arkansas Well Log Archive Database Illustration

Arkansas Well Log Archive Database

Short Title: Well Log Database Project Chief: Drew Westerman Cooperators: Arkansas Naural Resources Commission Project Time Frame: 2005 - present Arkansas water regulations require metering on ground-water withdrawals for all sustaining aquifers named by the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission (ANRC). Repercussions of these regulations have resulted in ground-water users contesting the aquifer...
By
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center
Arkansas Well Log Archive Database

Arkansas Well Log Archive Database

Short Title: Well Log Database Project Chief: Drew Westerman Cooperators: Arkansas Naural Resources Commission Project Time Frame: 2005 - present Arkansas water regulations require metering on ground-water withdrawals for all sustaining aquifers named by the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission (ANRC). Repercussions of these regulations have resulted in ground-water users contesting the aquifer...
Learn More
Meter Dial

Status of water resources within the Mississippi Alluvial Plain

The MAP area constitutes the third largest area of irrigated cropland in the United States. The area is approximately 29,000 square miles (19 million acres) and includes the States of Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana. The MAP is primarily relied upon for agriculture with irrigation use increasing several-fold beginning from about 1965. Water-level declines began in parts...
By
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center
Status of water resources within the Mississippi Alluvial Plain

Status of water resources within the Mississippi Alluvial Plain

The MAP area constitutes the third largest area of irrigated cropland in the United States. The area is approximately 29,000 square miles (19 million acres) and includes the States of Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana. The MAP is primarily relied upon for agriculture with irrigation use increasing several-fold beginning from about 1965. Water-level declines began in parts...
Learn More
Water Well

Water Budget for the Mississippi Alluvial Plain

Water is a critical resource for the agricultural and industrial practices in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP). The heavy use of this water, however, is gradually depleting groundwater resources and altering the availability of water for future use. Accurate and ongoing assessments of water availability in the MAP region are critically important for making well-informed management decisions...
By
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center
Water Budget for the Mississippi Alluvial Plain

Water Budget for the Mississippi Alluvial Plain

Water is a critical resource for the agricultural and industrial practices in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP). The heavy use of this water, however, is gradually depleting groundwater resources and altering the availability of water for future use. Accurate and ongoing assessments of water availability in the MAP region are critically important for making well-informed management decisions...
Learn More
Ohmmapper system electrodes -ATV

Enhanced Characterization of the MAP Groundwater System

The current characterization of the MAP groundwater system relies on information gained through various methods at individual well locations. To complete a full picture of the system, the information between these points are assumed to continue over large areas. As a result, a detailed characterization of the MAP groundwater system suitable to evaluate water sustainability at the scales now...
By
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center
Enhanced Characterization of the MAP Groundwater System

Enhanced Characterization of the MAP Groundwater System

The current characterization of the MAP groundwater system relies on information gained through various methods at individual well locations. To complete a full picture of the system, the information between these points are assumed to continue over large areas. As a result, a detailed characterization of the MAP groundwater system suitable to evaluate water sustainability at the scales now...
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Water Use Site Retrieval Page Icon

Arkansas Water Use Program

In 1977, the Congress of the United States recognized the need for uniform, current, and reliable information on water use and directed the U.S. Geological Survey to establish a National Water-Use Information Program (NWUIP) to complement the Survey's data on the availability and quality of the Nations water resources. Since 1985 site-specific water-use data for several categories have been...
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Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center
Arkansas Water Use Program

Arkansas Water Use Program

In 1977, the Congress of the United States recognized the need for uniform, current, and reliable information on water use and directed the U.S. Geological Survey to establish a National Water-Use Information Program (NWUIP) to complement the Survey's data on the availability and quality of the Nations water resources. Since 1985 site-specific water-use data for several categories have been...
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Digitized Maps of the Potentiometric Surface of the Sparta Aquifer in North-Central Louisiana, 1886 to 2012 (ver. 1.1, April 2021) Digitized Maps of the Potentiometric Surface of the Sparta Aquifer in North-Central Louisiana, 1886 to 2012 (ver. 1.1, April 2021)

The Sparta aquifer is a primary source of groundwater in north-central Louisiana with more than 60 million gallons of water per day being withdrawn in 2015, and public supply and Industry account for over 90 percent of the water-use demand from the Sparta aquifer (Collier, 2018). Concentrated withdrawals from the Sparta aquifer have caused regional water-level declines within the Sparta...
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Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Georeferenced Maps of the Thickness of the Sparta Aquifer in MS, AR, and LA, 1961 to 1996 Georeferenced Maps of the Thickness of the Sparta Aquifer in MS, AR, and LA, 1961 to 1996

The Sparta aquifer is a primary source of groundwater in north-central Louisiana. In 2015, more than 60 million gallons per day were withdrawn from the Sparta aquifer, of which over 90 percent was used for public supply and industrial purposes (Collier, 2018). Concentrated withdrawals from the Sparta aquifer have caused regional water-level declines within the Sparta aquifer (McGee and...
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Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Mississippi Alluvial Plain Extent, November 2017 Mississippi Alluvial Plain Extent, November 2017

The Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP) has become one of the most important agricultural regions in the US, and it relies heavily on a groundwater system that is poorly understood and shows signs of substantial change. The heavy use of the available groundwater resources has resulted in significant groundwater-level declines and reductions in base flow in streams within the MAP. These...
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South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC)

Altitudes and Thicknesses of Hydrogeologic Units of the Ozark Plateaus Aquifer System in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma Altitudes and Thicknesses of Hydrogeologic Units of the Ozark Plateaus Aquifer System in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma

A hydrogeologic framework was constructed to represent the altitudes and thicknesses of hydrogeologic units within the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system (hereinafter referred to as the Ozark system). The Ozark system study area is nearly 70,000 square miles and includes parts of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Nine hydrogeologic units were selected for delineation within the Ozark...
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Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Groundwater withdrawal rates from the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system, 1900 to 2010 Groundwater withdrawal rates from the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system, 1900 to 2010

Groundwater is an often overlooked freshwater resource compared to surface water, but groundwater is used widely across the United States, especially during periods of drought. If groundwater models can successfully simulate past conditions, they may be used to evaluate potential future pumping scenarios or climate conditions, thus providing a valuable planning tool for water-resource...
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Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center
Real-time flow meter on an Arkansas irrigation well
Real-time flow meter on an Arkansas irrigation well
Real-time flow meter on an Arkansas irrigation well
Real-time flow meter on an Arkansas irrigation well

Real-time flow meter on an Arkansas irrigation well

Real-time flow meter on an Arkansas irrigation well

Real-time flow meter installed on a center-pivot irrigation well in Mississippi County, Arkansas as part of a cooperative project conducted between USGS and the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission. The meter will measure water use for irrigation, providing data which will help improve water-use information in other locations as well.

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Water Resources, Water Availability and Use Science Program
Real-time flow meter on an Arkansas irrigation well

Real-time flow meter on an Arkansas irrigation well

Real-time flow meter on an Arkansas irrigation well

Real-time flow meter installed on a center-pivot irrigation well in Mississippi County, Arkansas as part of a cooperative project conducted between USGS and the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission. The meter will measure water use for irrigation, providing data which will help improve water-use information in other locations as well.

By
Water Resources, Water Availability and Use Science Program

Water Use Site Retrieval - Lower Mississippi Gulf Arkansas Water Use Site Retrieval - Lower Mississippi Gulf Arkansas

In 1977, the Congress of the United States recognized the need for uniform, current, and reliable information on water use and directed the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to establish a National Water-Use Information Program (NWUIP) to complement the Survey's data on the availability and quality of the Nations water resources.
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Water Resources Mission Area, Water Availability and Use Science Program, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Arkansas Waterwell Arkansas Waterwell

The Arkansas Water Well Construction Commission (AWWCC) was formed by the Arkansas General Assembly in 1969 to protect the general health, safety, and welfare of Arkansans by regulating water well construction and pump installation. The AWWCC’s rules provide a framework for proper development of underground water in an efficient, orderly, sanitary, reasonable, and safe manner.
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Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center
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