Benton County, MS Water Table Trend
Is the water table dropping in Benton County, MS?
Over 16 years of USGS readings, the well tracking Benton County's aquifer is declining, slower than most declining counties: 0.6 ft per decade.
One well stands in for Benton County's whole aquifer here, the honest simplification every page on this site carries.
What the well actually measured
The most recent reading put water 3.6 ft below land surface. Readings span 2010-09-23 to 2026-03-24, 11 measurements from USGS well USGS-344343089111501 (009l0043 Benton), part of the National Water Information System. The qualifying bar and the OLS fit behind this trend are documented in the methodology guide.
Where Benton County ranks
Of the 1,449 US counties with a usable trend, Benton County ranks 983rd from fastest-rising to fastest-declining, 1 is the fastest-rising water table measured, 1449 the fastest-declining. About 7,566 people live in Benton County, Mississippi. See the fastest-moving counties guide for how Benton County stacks up against the most extreme cases nationally.
What a declining table means for a well pump
Because Benton County's water table is actually declining, not just a general worry, a well owner here should consider comparing home-warranty plans that cover well-pump failure before one happens.
A dropping table says nothing about water quality
Whether Benton County's water table is rising or falling is independent of what's actually in the water. Depletion can concentrate naturally-occurring minerals, so it's worth checking directly with a water test rather than assuming a depth trend says anything about quality.