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USGS
Ground Water Atlas of the United States
April 23 | United States Geological Survey

USGS has their Ground Water Atlas of the United States online. It describes the location, extent and geologic/hydrologic characteristics of the important aquifers of the United States.

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prevent ground water contamination
Preventing Ground Water Contamination (.pdf)
April 13 | The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality has published a Fact Sheet titled “Preventing Groundwater Contamination”. It is a 10-page guide that explains sources of ground water contamination for a variety of types of businesses and how contamination problems can be eliminated or reduced.

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Water Source Book
The EPA Water Sourcebook for Teachers
April 12 | EPA Safewater Program

The Water Sourcebooks is an EPA publication for K-12 teachers. It contains 324 activities for the following topics: Introduction to Water, Drinking Water and Wastewater Treatment, Surface Water Resources, Ground Water Resources, and Wetlands and Coastal Waters. It is free and the activity sheets can be used in classes without fee.

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Nebraska
What Nebraskans Need to Know About Groundwater
April 7 | High Plains Journal

This article is a summary of what Steve Sibray, hydrogeologist at the University of Nebraska Lincoln, has been telling people all over Nebraska… “There are certain physical realities about ground water systems that Nebraskans should understand when they make rules or policies.”

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Vermont
Geothermal Veteran: Heating for 25+ Years
April 7 | Manchester Journal

Mike and Astri Kilburn have been heating their Vermont home with a ground water geothermal system for about 25 years. This article tells about their experience.

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water
GSFLOW: New Model Simulates Ground and Surface Water Interactions
April 6 | USGS

“A new model to simulate ground-water and surface-water interactions has been released by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The Ground-water and Surface-water FLOW (GSFLOW) model simultaneously accounts for climatic conditions, runoff across the land surface, subsurface flow and storage, and the connections among terrestrial systems, streams, lakes, wetlands, and ground water.” Quoted from the USGS release.

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Hurricane Damaged Water Wells
March 31 | Associated Press

The Louisiana Department of Natural Resources is out looking for water wells that were damaged during the 2005 hurricane season. They are placing a temporary cap on these wells and may close them completely later. The goal is to limit contamination.

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Using Ground Penetrating Radar to Observe Hidden Underground Water Processes
March 24 | Soil Science Society of America

The Soil Science Society of America has a publication on the use of ground penetrating radar to do the following and more: identify soil layering, locate water tables, follow wetting front movement, estimate soil water content, assist in subsurface hydraulic parameter identification, assess soil salinity, and support the monitoring of contaminants.

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Free Graph Paper
Free Printable Graph Paper
March 2 | Waterproof-Paper.com

Here’s a site where you can download and print free graph papers in a variety of formats. Square grid paper, polar coordinate paper, isometric paper and axis graph paper.

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NEVADA
White Pine County Nevada as a Critical Water Source
February 29 | USGS

The ground-water systems underlying many of the valleys in eastern Nevada and western Utah are not isolated but rather contribute or receive flow from adjoining basins. USGS has a new report detailing White Pine County, Nevada, as a critical recharge area for several major regional flow systems that extend north to the Great Salt Lake and, south to the Colorado River.

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water
Homeowners Blame Water Agency for Damaging Their Homes
February 20 | MyDesert.com

Homeowners in La Quinta, California are preparing to sue the Coachella Valley Water District because the agency’s overuse of ground water caused subsidence that damaged their homes. The homeowners are supplied with water by CVWD.

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Great Lakes
Great Lakes Data and Publications
February 6 | USGS

USGS has a collection of publications related to the Great Lakes. These include information on ground water, precipitation, stream inflow, water use, lake levels, water availability, maps and much more.

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Interactive Maps for Arizona Ground Water
January 31 | USGS


Where in Arizona are ground-water levels falling? “Where are they stable or rising? How much has the water table changed since large-scale pumping has occurred? A new online system developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is designed to answer these and other questions for the most developed ground-water areas in the State. ” Quoted from the USGS Release.

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fluorine
Fluoride in Well Water Linked to Asteroid Impact
January 26 | Discovery Channel

A small area in Manitoba has lots of water supply wells with elevated fluoride content. The geographic distribution of this problem is coincident with an ancient impact crater.

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New Hampshire
MTBE in New Hampshire Ground Water
January 6 | USGS Newsroom

USGS reports that methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), a gasoline additive, is widespread in New Hampshire’s ground water. Ground water from Rockingham, Strafford, Hillsborough and Merrimack Counties were the most likely to contain MTBE. However, even in these counties MTBE concentrations were significantly below the state drinking water limit and the federal drinking water advisory.

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Southern California
Southern California Subsidence Blamed on Ground Water Production
December 31 | MyDesert.com

Communities in the Coachella Valley are seeing subsidence, sometimes over one inch per year. USGS and local agencies are blaming the subsidence on ground water production at rates greatly exceeding recharge.

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center pivot irrigation
Ground Water Depletion in the High Plains Aquifer
December 23 | USGS Fact Sheet

The High Plains Aquifer, often called the Ogallala Aquifer, is a very important source of water for agriculture in the southern Great Plains. It has been heavily pumped for decades and now some areas have seen over 150 feet of water table decline.

Related stories.
kansas water well decline
Water Level Monitoring in Kansas
December 18 | Kansas Geological Survey

The Kansas Geological Survey will measure more than 500 water wells in western and south-central Kansas during the first week of January. This is part of their annual program to detect changes in ground water levels of the High Plains Aquiifer. Lots of the wells show a long term decline.

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Earth Fissures
Earth Fissures in Pinal County, Arizona
December 15 | East Valley Tribune

Earth fissures are cracks in the ground that are often associated with heavy ground water production. They have been a special problem in Pinal County, Arizona. This article presents the problem and refers to a free downloadable report on Land Subsidence and Earth Fissures at the Arizona Geological Survey’s website.

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USGS FAQ
How Deep is the Water Table?
December 12 | United States Geological Survey

This is one of the frequently asked questions at USGS…. “How can you find out how deep the water table is in a specific location?”

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aquifer contamination satellite image
USGS Image
Land-Use and Human Activity Impacts Aquifers
September 15 | USGS Newsroom

As population and business activity increase around public water supply wells the number of contamination problems increase. USGS has released a report: Anthropogenic Organic Compounds in Ground Water and Finished Water of Community Water Systems in the Northern Tampa Bay Area, Florida, which documents this problem.

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hot water
Hot Water Well in Chandler Arizona
July 24 | AZCentral.com

A municipal well in Chandler, Arizona produces naturally hot water that is delivered to residential taps at up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit - and sometimes higher. Although people who are supplied by the well do not have “cold running water” but the city enjoys its 3 million gallons per day production capacity. We know some people in northern climates who would love to own that well!

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Colorado
Landowners Fight Drilling Near Rulison Nuclear Blast Site
May 9 | Casper Star Tribune

In 1969 a 43 kiloton nuclear bomb was detonated at a depth of 8,426 feed below Colorado. This was Project Rulison, a test to determine if an underground nuclear blast could be used to stimulate natural gas production from a low grade field. The gas was too reactive to be sold commercially. Today drillers are seeking permission to drill close to the buffer zone around the Rulison site and property owners are concerned about escaping radiation or the contamination of ground waters.

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Google Earth
Free High Resolution Satellite Images - Google Earth
Promotion | Geology.com
Google Earth is a free download that will allow you to view recent satellite images of Earth in 3D. Worldwide coverage. Fly over landscapes and cities, or zoom in on your house! This is the same program used by national news networks to give you great satellite images. Free download.


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