U.S. Geological Survey

Ground-water Levels in Wells Respond to Spring Recharge Easing Drought Severity

Water in wells of Brooke, Grant, Jefferson, Pocahontas, Webster and Wyoming Counties responded to significant recharge in April and May and are now at above average levels.   These monitor wells also received significant recharge during the floods of May 2002, which affected large portions of West Virginia.  The only exception to this trend is the monitoring well in Jefferson County, which remains greater than 25 percent below normal.  Drought conditions continue in the eastern Panhandle of West Virginia.

Text Box: 373554081493401 Mig-0131 Well, Mingo County - The recent monthly median water level of 32.36 feet below land surface in May of 2002 for the USGS water level monitoring well in Mingo County, West Virginia is higher than average for the month of May. Ground-water levels in the months of November through December 2001 were below normal indicating significant ground-water recharge did not occur during that critical period. Heavy precipitation in April and May caused significant ground-water recharge resulting in higher than average current ground-water levels of 2002.

Text Box: 373839081255201 Twin Falls State Park Well, Wyoming County - The current monthly median water level of 26.40 feet below land surface in June of 2002 for the USGS water level monitoring well in Wyoming County, West Virginia is higher than average for the month of June. Heavy precipitation that caused flooding in southern West Virginia in May of 2002 resulted in significant ground-water recharge causing above average water levels in the region.


Text Box: 380653080155301 Poc-0256 Well, Pocahontas County - The recent monthly median water level of 67.67 feet below land surface in May of 2002 for the USGS water level monitoring well in Pocahontas County, West Virginia is above average for this time of year. Ground-water levels in the months of October through December 2001 were also below normal indicating that significant ground-water recharge did not occur during the critical winter recharge period. However, heavy precipitation that caused flooding in southern West Virginia in May of 2002 resulted in significant ground-water recharge causing above average water levels in the region.  

Text Box: 382008029801 Bishop Knob Campground Well, Webster County - The recent monthly median water level of 21.73 feet below land surface in May of 2002 for the USGS water level monitoring well in Webster County, West Virginia is above average for this time of year. Ground-water levels in the months of October 2001 through January 2002 were below normal indicating that significant ground-water recharge did not occur during the critical winter recharge period. However, heavy rains in April and May 2002 resulted in significant recharge causing water levels to rise to above normal levels.

Text Box: 391652079181401 Grt-0090 Well, Grant County - The recent monthly median water level of 7.47 feet below land surface in March of 2002 for the USGS water level monitoring well in Grant County, West Virginia is above average for this period.

Text Box: 392104077554801 Jef-0526 Well, Jefferson County - The recent monthly median water level of 23.68 feet below land surface in June of 2002 for the USGS water level monitoring well in Jefferson County, West Virginia is more than 25 percent below normal levels. Ground-water levels in the months of March and April 2002 were more than 40 percent below normal indicating some recharge has occurred during the period. Drought conditions in Jefferson County continue despite some ground-water recharge this spring.

Text Box: 401216080362703 Test Well P-1 Near Bethany, Brooke County - This plot shows that the recent monthly median water level of 39.35 feet below land surface in June of 2002 for the USGS water level monitoring well in Brooke County, West Virginia is above average for this period. Ground-water levels in the months of July 2001 through February 2002 were also below normal indicating that significant ground-water recharge did not occur during the summer or critical winter recharge period. Heavy rains in April and May of 2002 resulted in significant ground-water recharge, raising water levels to above normal levels.

 


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Last Modified: Thursday July 18, 2002, 15:45 EST