Groundwater Levels Decline In Eastern Nebraska

By Gordon HopkinsThe past several years of drought conditions in Nebraska have resulted in a decline in groundwater levels in the eastern half of the state. That is according to the annual Nebraska Statewide Groundwater-Level Report from the Conservation and Survey Division in the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s School of Natural Resources.Statewide, groundwater levels declined on average 0.52 feet in spring 2024, even though precipitation was above average in the western half of the Cornhusker State. Local WellsDrinking water for the City of Fairbury is currently supplied by three wells in the East Wellfield. Over the last ten years, each of those wells has seen a drop in the water levels by more than ten feet.Water levels for those wells are measured from the surface of the water to the top of the well. Water levels are measured multiple times throughout the year. Fairbury Water Superintendent Gregg DeFrain provided water levels for each year over the past ten years. East Well #1: Static water level on May 5, 2015, was 65 feet. On March 6, 2025, the water level was 78.4 feet. East Well #2: Static water level on May 5, 2015, was 91.5 feet. On March 6, 2025, the water level was 103.7 feet. East Well #3: Static water level on May 5, 2015, was 40 feet. On March 6, 2025, the water level was 52 feet.Low water levels along with increased usage during the summer months has necessitated the City of Fairbury declaring water conservation emergencies over the past several summers.The city also has a wellfield at Crystal Springs well. However, that has been offline since 2021 due to a persistent biofilm problem. The city’s Water Sourcing Committee met on Wednesday, April 30, to discuss possible solutions to get the well back into operation.City Councilperson John Ebke said, “We know there’s water at Crystal. The nitrates may or may not be a problem at times, but we were going to do some investigatory stuff.”Cause of Declining Water LevelsAccording to the UNL report, despite the declines, Nebraska has significantly more groundwater than the other states atop the High Plains aquifer system, “Variations in groundwater levels and precipitation are intimately linked. Precipitation is the main source of aquifer replenishment in Nebraska, partially replacing water removed from the ground for irrigation and domestic use. Hotter and drier growing seasons result in a greater need for irrigation while providing less water for recharge. Both effects can cause a decline in groundwater levels. However, years with above-average precipitation provide more water for groundwater recharge and typically less pumping for irrigation. These effects generally cause a rise in groundwater levels.”UNL ReportAlmost 5,000 wells were measured in the spring of 2023 and spring of 2024 to monitor changes in groundwater levels in Nebraska. Sixty-one percent of the wells recorded a groundwater-level decline in spring 2024. The largest declines, exceeding 10 feet, occurred in the eastern half of Nebraska, where precipitation was generally below average during the same period. Much of Nebraska experienced some level of drought for most of the preceding five years. However, easing drought conditions during the 2023 growing season in western Nebraska drove local rises in groundwater levels.Nebraska has more than 99,000 active irrigation wells, providing water to support the agricultural economy. Pumping water from aquifers through a vast number of wells can be detrimental to the long-term sustainability of water resources. However, the report states, “Nebraska has a nation-leading system of groundwater management in its 23 Natural Resources Districts. The districts regulate groundwater with comprehensive regional management plans that undergo periodic updates. Still, recent and long-term groundwater-level declines in some parts of the state are concerning. Some wells in these areas may eventually go dry or need to be drilled deeper.”

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