Harding County, SD Water Table Trend
Harding County's groundwater trend, from USGS's own readings
Harding County's long-term well puts the trend at 1.8 ft per decade, declining at a typical pace for a declining county, based on 59 measurements since 1986.
One well stands in for Harding 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 64.2 ft below land surface. Readings span 1986-07-30 to 2026-10-13, 59 measurements from USGS well USGS-453334103275001 (18n05e02aaaa2 (Hell Creek Well Hr-86f)), part of the National Water Information System. The qualifying bar and the OLS fit behind this trend are documented in the methodology guide.
Where Harding County ranks
Of the 1,449 US counties with a usable trend, Harding County ranks 1160th from fastest-rising to fastest-declining, 1 is the fastest-rising water table measured, 1449 the fastest-declining. About 1,325 people live in Harding County, South Dakota. See the fastest-moving counties guide for how Harding County stacks up against the most extreme cases nationally.
What a declining table means for a well pump
Because Harding 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 Harding 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.