Groundwater monitoring
The USGS works in collaboration with partners to monitor groundwater levels using the framework of the National Groundwater Monitoring Network (NGWMN).
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The USGS works in collaboration with partners to monitor groundwater levels using the framework of the National Groundwater Monitoring Network (NGWMN). This collaborative groundwater network of Federal, State, and local agency data providers was authorized by the SECURE Water Act in 2009 and aims to build and refine a national network of wells that meet specific criteria related to quality, accessibility, density, and frequency of measurement criteria. Within the NGWMN, the USGS provides Federal support for a Climate Response Network (CRN) outfitted with continuous, real-time instrumentation that is designed to serve as a measure of groundwater conditions during drought and provide long-term groundwater levels.
Stakeholder Quotes
“The National Groundwater Monitoring Program has allowed NH Geological Survey to provide New Hampshire’s Drought Management team better support for decision making.”
Gregory Barker, New Hampshire Geological Survey
“NGWMN funding helps ensure that Maryland will have reliable and accurate groundwater-level monitoring into the foreseeable future.”
Andrew Staley, Maryland Geological Survey, Department of Natural Resources
“Participation in the NGWMN has significantly improved our network and our ability to disseminate groundwater data to the public.”
Brooke Czwartacki, South Carolina Department of Natural Resource
“Participation in the NGWMN allows the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology to leverage limited state funds to upgrade monitoring infrastructure and improve the integrity of monitoring sites thereby improving the quality of data provided.”
John LaFave, Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology
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National Water Information System web interface (NWISweb)
The National Water Information System (NWIS) web application provides access to real-time and historical surface-water, groundwater, water-quality, and water-use data collected at approximately 1.5 million sites across all 50 states.
Groundwater-level trends in the U.S. glacial aquifer system, 1964-2013
Historical groundwater trends in northern New England and relations with streamflow and climatic variables
U.S. Geological Survey Ground-Water Climate Response Network
National Ground-Water Monitoring Network (NGWMN) Data Portal
The NGWMN Data Portal provides access to groundwater data from multiple, dispersed databases in a web-based mapping application. The Portal contains current and historical data including water levels, water quality, lithology, and well construction.
The Groundwater Toolbox: A Graphical and Mapping Interface for Analysis of Hydrologic Data
The Groundwater Toolbox is a graphical and mapping interface for analysis of hydrologic data. It provides methods to estimate many of the components of the water budget for a hydrologic basin, including precipitation, streamflow, base flow, runoff, groundwater recharge and evapotranspiration. As of May 2022, the Groundwater Toolbox has been superseded by the Hydrologic Toolbox.
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The USGS Next Generation Water Observing System (NGWOS) provides high-fidelity, real-time data on water quantity and quality necessary to support modern water prediction and decision support systems for water emergencies and daily water operations. The Delaware River Basin was the first NGWOS basin, providing an opportunity to implement the program in a nationally important, complex interstate...High Plains Water-Level Monitoring Study
The High Plains aquifer underlies 111.8 million acres (about 175,000 square miles) in parts of eight States—Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming. In response to a directive from Congress, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with local, state, and federal entities, has collected water-level data from wells screened in the High Plains... - Data
National Water Information System web interface (NWISweb)
The National Water Information System (NWIS) web application provides access to real-time and historical surface-water, groundwater, water-quality, and water-use data collected at approximately 1.5 million sites across all 50 states.
ByWater Resources Mission Area, Drought, Hurricane Florence, Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Isaias, Hurricane Jose, Hurricane Maria, Hurricane Matthew, Hurricane Michael, Hurricane Nate, Hurricane Sandy, San Francisco Bay and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary, Hurricane Marco, Hurricane Laura - Publications
Groundwater-level trends in the U.S. glacial aquifer system, 1964-2013
The glacial aquifer system in the United States is a major source of water supply but previous work on historical groundwater trends across the system is lacking. Trends in annual minimum, mean, and maximum groundwater levels for 205 monitoring wells were analyzed across three regions of the system (East, Central, West Central) for four time periods: 1964-2013, 1974-2013, 1984-2013, and 1994-2013.AuthorsGlenn A. Hodgkins, Robert W. Dudley, Martha G. Nielsen, Benjamin Renard, Sharon L. QiHistorical groundwater trends in northern New England and relations with streamflow and climatic variables
Water-level trends spanning 20, 30, 40, and 50 years were tested using month-end groundwater levels in 26, 12, 10, and 3 wells in northern New England (Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont), respectively. Groundwater levels for 77 wells were used in interannual correlations with meteorological and hydrologic variables related to groundwater. Trends in the contemporary groundwater record (20 and 30 yeAuthorsRobert W. Dudley, Glenn A. HodgkinsU.S. Geological Survey Ground-Water Climate Response Network
The U.S. Geological Survey serves the Nation by providing reliable hydrologic information used by others to manage the Nation's water resources. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) measures more than 20,000 wells each year for a variety of objectives as part of Federal programs and in cooperation with State and local agencies. Water-level data are collected using consistent data-collection and quAuthors - Web Tools
National Ground-Water Monitoring Network (NGWMN) Data Portal
The NGWMN Data Portal provides access to groundwater data from multiple, dispersed databases in a web-based mapping application. The Portal contains current and historical data including water levels, water quality, lithology, and well construction.
- Software
The Groundwater Toolbox: A Graphical and Mapping Interface for Analysis of Hydrologic Data
The Groundwater Toolbox is a graphical and mapping interface for analysis of hydrologic data. It provides methods to estimate many of the components of the water budget for a hydrologic basin, including precipitation, streamflow, base flow, runoff, groundwater recharge and evapotranspiration. As of May 2022, the Groundwater Toolbox has been superseded by the Hydrologic Toolbox.