Natural ground-water-recharge data from three selected sites in Harvey County, south-central Kansas
The cities of Wichita, Newton, and several smaller towns pump large quantities of water from the 'Equus Beds' aquifer in south-central Kansas. The aquifer also supplies large quantities of water for irrigation at a steadily increasing rate. The Harvey County Planning and Zoning Commission entered into a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Geological Survey to collect information on natural recharge at three sites having different soils and unsaturated lithologies. Data summarized in tabular form include daily rainfall amounts, average soil moisture for selected layers, water-table levels, and neutron-measured soil moisture at 1-foot intervals. This information can be used in studying the possibility of protecting the aquifer from any development that might impede natural recharge. (USGS)