Mercer County, ND Water Table Trend
Is the water table dropping in Mercer County, ND?
Mercer County's long-term well puts the trend at 5.8 ft per decade, declining faster than most declining counties, based on 307 measurements since 1968.
One well stands in for Mercer 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 102.3 ft below land surface. Readings span 1968-07-15 to 2021-06-14, 307 measurements from USGS well USGS-472641102105901 (146-090-20ccc), part of the National Water Information System. The qualifying bar and the OLS fit behind this trend are documented in the methodology guide.
Where Mercer County ranks
Of the 1,449 US counties with a usable trend, Mercer County ranks 1330th from fastest-rising to fastest-declining, 1 is the fastest-rising water table measured, 1449 the fastest-declining. About 8,348 people live in Mercer County, North Dakota. See the fastest-moving counties guide for how Mercer County stacks up against the most extreme cases nationally.
What a declining table means for a well pump
Because Mercer 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 Mercer 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.