Dane County, WI Water Table Trend
Dane County's groundwater trend, from USGS's own readings
Over 153 years of USGS readings, the well tracking Dane County's aquifer is declining at a typical pace for a declining county: 2.3 ft per decade.
One well stands in for Dane 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 109.4 ft below land surface. Readings span 1874-01-01 to 2026-10-01, 4191 measurements from USGS well USGS-430429089230301 (Dn-07/09e/23-0005), part of the National Water Information System. The qualifying bar and the OLS fit behind this trend are documented in the methodology guide.
Where Dane County ranks
Of the 1,449 US counties with a usable trend, Dane County ranks 1207th from fastest-rising to fastest-declining, 1 is the fastest-rising water table measured, 1449 the fastest-declining. About 588,347 people live in Dane County, Wisconsin. See the fastest-moving counties guide for how Dane County stacks up against the most extreme cases nationally.
What a declining table means for a well pump
Because Dane 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 Dane 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.