Stevens County, KS Water Table Trend
Is the water table dropping in Stevens County, KS?
Stevens County's long-term well puts the trend at 39.5 ft per decade, declining faster than most declining counties, based on 38 measurements since 1999.
One well stands in for Stevens 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 246.7 ft below land surface. Readings span 1999-06-14 to 2017-08-29, 38 measurements from USGS well USGS-370130101180902 (Hugoton-495), part of the National Water Information System. The qualifying bar and the OLS fit behind this trend are documented in the methodology guide.
Where Stevens County ranks
Of the 1,449 US counties with a usable trend, Stevens County ranks 1447th from fastest-rising to fastest-declining, 1 is the fastest-rising water table measured, 1449 the fastest-declining. About 5,035 people live in Stevens County, Kansas. See the fastest-moving counties guide for how Stevens County stacks up against the most extreme cases nationally.
What a declining table means for a well pump
Because Stevens 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 Stevens 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.