Title
Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology Ground Water Assessment Program--Statewide Data Collection and Delivery
Abstract
Established by the Legislature in 1991, the Montana Ground Water Assessment Program (GWAP) was designed to improve the understanding of Montana’s groundwater resources by collecting, interpreting, and disseminating essential groundwater information. The Program has three parts: (1) Ground Water Characterization Program, (2) Ground Water Monitoring Program, and (3) Ground Water Information Center. An interagency steering committee selects study areas and oversees Program progress.
The Ground Water Characterization Program systematically assesses the state’s major aquifers. Field work has been completed in 22 counties. Currently, work is ongoing in Park and Sweet-Grass counties; Lincoln and Sanders counties are scheduled for 2016. The program works closely with local government, agricultural, business, and conservation groups to identify important groundwater issues within each characterization area. To date, high-quality data have been collected from more than 8600 sites, groundwater samples have been analyzed from about 1800 wells, and 64 maps and reports describing groundwater conditions have been released (reports and maps can be viewed and downloaded from the GWCP page in GWIC, http://mbmggwic.mtech.edu/sqlserver/v11/menus/menuCharacterization.asp?display=default). Almost all of the Clark Fork Basin has been assessed. Almost 2800 sites have been visited and over 800 sites sampled. There are 29 maps completed and 10 reports.
The state-wide Ground Water Monitoring Program collects baseline water-level and water-quality data from a network of more than 900 wells; some wells have been regularly monitored since the 1950s. The network covers the state’s major aquifers and includes wells from <10 feet to >3,600 feet in depth. Data from the network show how groundwater levels respond to climatic variability, land-use change, and/or development stress. Within the Clark Fork Basin there are approximately 216 statewide network wells.
The Ground Water Information Center (GWIC) is Montana’s official repository for groundwater information. All groundwater data, including maps, reports, and hydrographs are accessible through the GWIC online database (http://mbmggwic.mtech.edu). GWIC stores data collected by all MBMG programs, other agencies, and stores well log as copies and as digital data. The data can be downloaded by location (TRS) or county, or viewed using an interactive web mapping application.
Start Date
24-4-2015 12:00 PM
End Date
24-4-2015 2:00 PM
Document Type
Poster
Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology Ground Water Assessment Program--Statewide Data Collection and Delivery
Established by the Legislature in 1991, the Montana Ground Water Assessment Program (GWAP) was designed to improve the understanding of Montana’s groundwater resources by collecting, interpreting, and disseminating essential groundwater information. The Program has three parts: (1) Ground Water Characterization Program, (2) Ground Water Monitoring Program, and (3) Ground Water Information Center. An interagency steering committee selects study areas and oversees Program progress.
The Ground Water Characterization Program systematically assesses the state’s major aquifers. Field work has been completed in 22 counties. Currently, work is ongoing in Park and Sweet-Grass counties; Lincoln and Sanders counties are scheduled for 2016. The program works closely with local government, agricultural, business, and conservation groups to identify important groundwater issues within each characterization area. To date, high-quality data have been collected from more than 8600 sites, groundwater samples have been analyzed from about 1800 wells, and 64 maps and reports describing groundwater conditions have been released (reports and maps can be viewed and downloaded from the GWCP page in GWIC, http://mbmggwic.mtech.edu/sqlserver/v11/menus/menuCharacterization.asp?display=default). Almost all of the Clark Fork Basin has been assessed. Almost 2800 sites have been visited and over 800 sites sampled. There are 29 maps completed and 10 reports.
The state-wide Ground Water Monitoring Program collects baseline water-level and water-quality data from a network of more than 900 wells; some wells have been regularly monitored since the 1950s. The network covers the state’s major aquifers and includes wells from <10 feet to>3,600 feet in depth. Data from the network show how groundwater levels respond to climatic variability, land-use change, and/or development stress. Within the Clark Fork Basin there are approximately 216 statewide network wells.
The Ground Water Information Center (GWIC) is Montana’s official repository for groundwater information. All groundwater data, including maps, reports, and hydrographs are accessible through the GWIC online database (http://mbmggwic.mtech.edu). GWIC stores data collected by all MBMG programs, other agencies, and stores well log as copies and as digital data. The data can be downloaded by location (TRS) or county, or viewed using an interactive web mapping application.