Ground-Water-Use Trends in The Twin Cities Metropolitan Area, Minnesota, 1880-1980

Ground-Water-Use Trends in The Twin Cities Metropolitan Area, Minnesota, 1880-1980

1983

Detailed ground-water-use information from 1880 to 1980 has been collected and analyzed for the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Interpretation of historic water-use data was required to help water-resource planners and managers assess future trends in water use. Data were also needed for three computer-simulation models of ground-water flow being developed in the Twin Cities area. Methods were developed to collect, evaluate, store, and retrieve information from all local, State, and Federal agencies1 records and publications. A computerized water-use data base was constructed to facilitate generation of statistics on water-use trends and to store and retrieve data for the flow models. Ground-water use was analyzed by use category and aquifer and several trends were observed. Eighty percent of ground water currently withdrawn is from wells in the Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer. Ground-water use increased from 1880 until the early 1970's, and then declined slightly in the late 1970's. Industrial use in particular declined during the 1970's as a result of conservation that was prompted by increased sewage treatment and energy costs. The intensity of pumping has decreased within the St. Paul and Minneapolis city limits and increased outside the city limits. The seasonal variability of ground-water use became more pronounced as the percentage of water used for irrigation and air conditioning increased.

U.S. Department of the Interior
U.S. Geological Survey
Metropolitan Council of the Twin Cities
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

U.S. Geological Survey

41

Groundwater
Water Use & Availability

Groundwater
Water use
Twin Cities
Metropolitan area

1980-1989

No

Creative Commons-BY-NC. This material is usable under a Creative Commons – Attribution – Non-Commercial license. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 Visit our website for additional details and suggested citations. http://lib.tst.edu/archives/rights/intro.html

Minnesota Water Research Digital Library