The Upper Niobrara White Natural Resources District (UNWNRD) has completed the most recent ground water level measurements. While most of the district ground water levels have remained steady, Sub Area Six has shown an increase of 0.98 feet.  

Ground water levels are measured each spring and fall to track changes in the depth to water across the UNWNRD, encompassing Box Butte, Dawes, and Sheridan Counties as well as the northern 80% of Sioux County.  These water levels are taken at 189 observation wells across the district to provide an accurate profile of the ground water levels in the UNWNRD.  Fifty-two of these observation sites are monitoring wells installed by the UNWNRD specifically to track changes in ground water levels within the district.

Ground water measurements in Sub Areas 1 and 2 showed a slight decline, in Sub Areas 3 and 4 showed a slight increase, while Sub Area 5 has not changed over the last year. Overall the ground water levels in the UNWNRD have remained constant, aside from the notable increase in Sub Area 6 or the Mirage Flats area.

According to Brett Skinner of the Mirage Flats Irrigation District, due to the repairs needed on the toe drain of the dam at Box Butte Reservoir, the irrigation district delivered water out of the reservoir beginning near May 22nd, 2017 and ending around October 25th, 2017.  On a typical year, water is only delivered from July 4th to September 1st.  This extended timeframe of water delivery and recharge likely impacted the ground water levels in the Mirage Flats area.

“Groundwater levels in the UNWNRD have continued to show improvement over the last few years and we hope to see this continue,” said Haley Anders, UNWNRD Water Resources Manager.

For more information, please contact the Upper Niobrara White NRD at 308.432.6190 or visit us online at www.unwnrd.org.