Water levels in artesian and nonartesian aquifers of Florida, 1977-78

During 1977 and 1978, water levels in the Floridan aquifer throughout most of north and central peninsular Florida rose 1 to 3 feet, based on water levels measured in 380 wells selected from a network of about 5,000 observation wells for which measurements are in the files of the U.S. Geological Survey. Hydrographs of 51 wells are presented which show long-term trends of ground-water levels in selected areas of Florida. In west-central Polk County, an area of notable pumping, levels in the Floridan and other aquifers rose in response to decreased pumping of ground water for industrial use. In north Florida, levels rose from 1 to about 4 feet in Suwannee and Hamilton Counties. In northwest Florida, levels in the sand-and-gravel aquifer rose from less than 1 foot to 5 feet. Most widespread declines in ground-water levels in northwest Florida occurred in the Tallahassee area where levels declined from 1 to nearly 5 feet.