Frederick County, VA Water Table Trend
Is the water table dropping in Frederick County, VA?
Over 19 years of USGS readings, the well tracking Frederick County's aquifer is declining faster than most declining counties: 4.6 ft per decade.
One well stands in for Frederick 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 120.2 ft below land surface. Readings span 2005-08-16 to 2024-07-18, 10 measurements from USGS well USGS-390700078151801 (44w 20), part of the National Water Information System. The qualifying bar and the OLS fit behind this trend are documented in the methodology guide.
Where Frederick County ranks
Of the 1,449 US counties with a usable trend, Frederick County ranks 1292nd from fastest-rising to fastest-declining, 1 is the fastest-rising water table measured, 1449 the fastest-declining. About 98,109 people live in Frederick County, Virginia. See the fastest-moving counties guide for how Frederick County stacks up against the most extreme cases nationally.
What a declining table means for a well pump
Because Frederick 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 Frederick 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.