Cache Valley monthly ground-water monitoring network

Project Number: 97169C8
Cooperating Agency: Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water Rights
Project Chief: Cory Angeroth, USGS Salt Lake City, Utah
Project Period: 2004-2006

Problem: Ground-water resources in Cache Valley, an intermontane basin in northern Utah, are under increasing stress from urban growth and agriculture. This stress has been compounded by an extended drought in the intermountain west (1999-2003). Current monitoring of ground-water resources is limited to annual water-level measurements which are insufficient to measure more transient seasonal and development induced effects. As development and utilization of ground-water resources continues more intensive monitoring of resources is needed to manage and to model the resources.

Objective: The objective of the proposed study is to develop and implement a monthly ground-water level monitoring program in Cache Valley to enhance monitoring of ground-water resources in Cache Valley.

Relevance and Benefits: The monthly ground-water monitoring network will provide data to water resource managers on the spatial distribution of ground-water level changes and on the changes in discharge at selected springs. Water levels in up to 24 wells will be measured monthly. Quarterly discharge measurements will be made at two springs. One well will be instrumented with a continuous water level recorder. The preferred location of this well is on a valley margin in a primary recharge area.
In 2003, the USGS monitored 22 wells in Cache Valley as part of the Utah annual ground-water conditions monitoring network. The wells are widely distributed throughout the valley. These widely-distributed wells will form the core of the monthly monitoring network and will be supplemented with additional wells selected in cooperation with local water users. Selection of additional wells will be based on site-specific water resources issues and the spatial distribution of the existing monitoring network. Additional wells will be selected in the Idaho portion of the valley. Instantaneous discharge measurements will be made monthly at up to two springs. The springs will be selected in consultation with local water users.

Approach: Water levels will be measured monthly in the field. Standard USGS techniques for discharge and water-level measurements will be used.

Products: Data collected from the monthly ground-water monitoring network will be published annually in a USGS data report and will be made available on the Internet in a clickable map format. Water users will be able to click on wells on the map and obtain current and historical data. An example of this type of user interface can be found for the USGS Oquirrh Mountain ground- and surface-water monitoring network on the web at http://ut.water.usgs.gov/oquirrh210/index.html .

Back to Utah WSC home page

Accessibility FOIA Privacy Policies and Notices

U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL:http://ut.water.usgs.gov/newUTAH/Programs/CacheValley.html
Page Contact Information: GS-W-UT_Web_Requests@usgs.gov
Page Last Modified: Wednesday, 10-May-2006 13:34:29 EDT