Butler County, MO Water Table Trend
Butler County's groundwater trend, from USGS's own readings
Over 46 years of USGS readings, the well tracking Butler County's aquifer is declining, slower than most declining counties: 0.7 ft per decade.
One well stands in for Butler 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 12.7 ft below land surface. Readings span 1975-10-08 to 2021-09-20, 19 measurements from USGS well USGS-363716090331501 (T23n R05e 20ccc1), part of the National Water Information System. The qualifying bar and the OLS fit behind this trend are documented in the methodology guide.
Where Butler County ranks
Of the 1,449 US counties with a usable trend, Butler County ranks 1003rd from fastest-rising to fastest-declining, 1 is the fastest-rising water table measured, 1449 the fastest-declining. About 41,814 people live in Butler County, Missouri. See the fastest-moving counties guide for how Butler County stacks up against the most extreme cases nationally.
What a declining table means for a well pump
Because Butler 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 Butler 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.