McDowell County, WV Water Table Trend
Is the water table dropping in McDowell County, WV?
McDowell County's long-term well puts the trend at 2.4 ft per decade, declining at a typical pace for a declining county, based on 120 measurements since 2009.
One well stands in for McDowell 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 22.7 ft below land surface. Readings span 2009-08-21 to 2026-09-03, 120 measurements from USGS well USGS-372322081241501 (Mcd-0204), part of the National Water Information System. The qualifying bar and the OLS fit behind this trend are documented in the methodology guide.
Where McDowell County ranks
Of the 1,449 US counties with a usable trend, McDowell County ranks 1216th from fastest-rising to fastest-declining, 1 is the fastest-rising water table measured, 1449 the fastest-declining. About 17,147 people live in McDowell County, West Virginia. See the fastest-moving counties guide for how McDowell County stacks up against the most extreme cases nationally.
What a declining table means for a well pump
Because McDowell 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 McDowell 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.