Water Science for Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia
Groundwater LevelsThe USGS monitors groundwater levels in surficial or unconfined aquifers, providing observations that can be compared to both short-term and long-term changes in weather conditions. The groundwater wells used for the monthly water summary were selected based on the following criteria:
In the Maryland, Delaware, and District of Columbia region, it is useful to compare current data to historical data, such as data from the droughts of 2002 and the 1960s. There are 11 wells that have over 60 years of groundwater data, and 23 wells have more than 30 years of groundwater data as of 2017. March 2019 Groundwater LevelsGroundwater levels were at record March highs at 8 of 28 wells, above the 90th percentile at 9 wells, within the 76th-90th percentile range at 5 wells, and in the normal range (between the 25th and 75th percentiles) at 5 wells, and below normal at the observation well in Garrett County. Between February and March, groundwater levels increased at 15 wells and decreased at 13 wells included in this report.
Click here to access the clickable groundwater map. In the 5-year hydrographs for the selected wells, groundwater levels are shown as a dark blue line. Each monthly measurement is colored according to the percentile rank compared to the historical values at the site for the month. The normal range is displayed as a white band and is based on the period of record. The maximum water level is at the top of the upper blue section, and the minimum water level is at the bottom of the lower blue area in the graph. The two wells in Harford County that set all-time record highs are featured below.
Click here to view five-year groundwater hydrographs for other wells.
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