Thurston County, NE Water Table Trend
Thurston County's groundwater trend, from USGS's own readings
Over 61 years of USGS readings, the well tracking Thurston County's aquifer is declining, slower than most declining counties: 0.5 ft per decade.
One well stands in for Thurston 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 21.4 ft below land surface. Readings span 1964-08-24 to 2025-04-11, 100 measurements from USGS well USGS-420748096430801 (25n 6e22bdb 1), part of the National Water Information System. The qualifying bar and the OLS fit behind this trend are documented in the methodology guide.
Where Thurston County ranks
Of the 1,449 US counties with a usable trend, Thurston County ranks 972nd from fastest-rising to fastest-declining, 1 is the fastest-rising water table measured, 1449 the fastest-declining. About 6,637 people live in Thurston County, Nebraska. See the fastest-moving counties guide for how Thurston County stacks up against the most extreme cases nationally.
What a declining table means for a well pump
Because Thurston 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 Thurston 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.