WSP08842

• File Number: 8407
• Description: Platte River Basin - River Basin General Publications
• State: CO
• Basin: South Platte
• Water Division: 1
• Date: 8/10/1988
• Author: USGS
• Title: Ground-Water Hydrographs - 1970-1987 - and Water-Level Data - 1986-1987 - for the Northern High Plains of Colorado
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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DESCRIPTION OF DATA

For a number of years, the U.S. Geological Survey and various State and
local agencies have cooperated in the measurement of water levels in many of
the wells that are located in the northern High Plains of Colorado. Since its
inception, this network of wells has changed almost annually. Because some
wells simply are more difficult to measure than others, their measurement may
be discontinued when consistently accurate water levels are not obtained.
Wells also are dropped from the measurement list if measurements cannot be
obtained. Some reasons for not being able to measure the water levels are:
access to the well is obstructed; the well is destroyed; the water level has
dropped below the bottom of the well; or a well owner has withdrawn permission
to measure the well. Wells may be added to the network, as resources permit,
to provide needed additional information.

The current (1987) water-level monitoring network consists of 641 wells;
637 were measured during the winter of 1986-87. Most of these wells are used
for irrigation, but several livestock wells and U.S. Government observation
wells also are included, especially in areas where there is minimal irriga-
tion.

The data in this report are arranged first by county; the counties are
listed alphabetically. The wells in each county then are arranged by local
well number, in ascending order.

Hydrographs for each of the 641 observation wells in the northern High
Plains of Colorado are shown in figure 3 in the "Hydrologic Data" section
of this report. A hydrograph is a diagram representing successive water-level
measurements throughout a period of time. The hydrographs in figure 3 include
measurements made during 1970 through the winter of 1986-87. The line connec-
ting the measurements on the hydro graph does not necessarily indicate the
actual water level between measurements, but may indicate a trend in the water
level. The actual water level between measurements will fluctuate depending
on the drawdown of the water table caused by pumpage and on recharge that
occurs.

Descriptive information for each well and water-level measurements made
during the winter of 1986-87 are listed in table 1. For various reasons,
water levels were not obtained during this period for four of the wells, and
more than one water level was obtained for other wells.

SELECTED REFERENCES

Blattner, J.L., and Rasmuson, B.D., 1982, Water-level records for the
northern High Plains of Colorado, 1978-82: U.S. Geological Survey
Open-File Report 82-573, 28 p.
1983, Water-level records for the northern High Plains of Colorado,
-----1979-83: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 83-253, 34 p.
Boettcher, A.J., Hofstra, W.E., and Major, T.J., 1969, Water-level records for
the northern High Plains of Colorado: Denver, Colorado Water Conserva-
tion Board Ground Water Basic-Data Release No. 20, 189 p.
Borman, R.G., 1978, Water-level records for the northern High Plains of
Colorado, 1974-78: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 78-499, 31 p.

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