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Presenter summarizes USGS well monitoring: no widespread domestic-well collapses in monitored sample
Summary
Presenter Steve Bowen told the Douglas County Water Commission that a multi-decade review of USGS and Rural Water Authority well data showed seasonal drawdowns but not widespread domestic wells drawing to the base of the casing across the monitored sample; he recommended more well-specific analysis and broader monitoring.
Presenter Steve Bowen reviewed USGS and Rural Water Authority monitoring of domestic wells in Douglas County and said the group monitored 36 wells (15 continuous, 21 periodic) and cross-checked USGS water-level data with well completion and pump-installation reports. He said most domestic wells show typical summer drawdown and recovery in fall and winter; "we're not seeing massive declines in domestic wells," Bowen told the commission.
Bowen cautioned that well-specific construction details matter and urged commissioners to treat domestic wells and municipal wells separately in analysis. He noted some localized declines merit further review (for example a northern Grandview well showed concern), and recommended more statistical modeling to assess whether underlying aquifers such as the Dawson or Denver show long-term slopes. "Every one of these takes a day to do," Bowen said of the cross-checks he performed, and he suggested the county consider a broader, grid-based monitoring approach to capture spatial dynamics across aquifers.
Commission members pressed Bowen about sample size and methodology; he said he used conservative filters (removing nonproducing replacement wells) and that USGS is using a newer statistical model that requires verification. Commissioners asked staff to consider additional modeling work and improved monitoring coverage as a next step.
