Source Water and Groundwater
What this domain tests
Source Water and Groundwater covers where Kansas water comes from and how operators protect it: aquifers, wells, source assessments, wellhead protection, and groundwater treatment challenges. Most Kansas public water systems rely on groundwater, including the High Plains/Ogallala, Arkansas River alluvium, Dakota, and Equus beds, so well construction and sanitary surveys are high-yield topics.
Core rules and concepts
- An unconfined aquifer has a water table open to recharge; a confined aquifer is bounded by low-permeability layers and is under pressure. Confined wells may flow without pumping.
- Static water level is measured with the pump off and stabilized. Pumping water level is measured while pumping at a steady rate. Drawdown = pumping level − static level.
- Specific capacity = pumping rate ÷ drawdown, expressed in gpm/ft. It indicates well performance; declining specific capacity suggests clogging, screen damage, or aquifer decline.
- Wells need proper casing, grout seal, sanitary well cap, and backflow protection. A sanitary survey looks for pathways such as unsealed annulus, missing cap, or nearby contamination.
- Groundwater under the direct influence of surface water (GUDI) requires evaluation and may trigger surface-water treatment and monitoring.
- Common Kansas groundwater concerns include nitrate from agriculture, naturally occurring arsenic, radionuclides, and iron/manganese.
Worked example
A well pumps 500 gpm. Static water level is 60 ft; pumping water level is 90 ft. Drawdown = 90 − 60 = 30 ft. Specific capacity = 500 ÷ 30 = 16.7 gpm/ft. If the previous test was 25 gpm/ft, the well has lost performance. Check for pump wear, screen plugging, and aquifer changes before assuming the pump is the only problem.
Traps
Measuring static level before the water level stabilizes; using pumping level as static level; ignoring nearby pumping interference; and treating a GUDI determination as a routine well approval.