Is the groundwater depletion problem truly serious?
Yes. Studies have been conducted on the problem for several years. First recognized as a problem in the 1940s, more recent studies by the Corps of Engineers, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), NRCS, and several universities and the state of Arkansas have all confirmed a critical groundwater problem in the Grand Prairie region. The region has been declared a “Critical Groundwater Depletion Area.” • What is a “Critical Groundwater Depletion Area?” In a confined aquifer such as the deeper Sparta, the following occur: • Water levels are below the top of the formation • Water level declines of more than one foot per year for a 5-year period have been observed, (The entire available period of record is also evaluated.) • Trends indicate a decline in water quality. In an unconfined aquifer such as the Alluvial, the following occur: • The saturated thickness of the formation is less than 50 percent of the total thickness of the formation, (This is also considered the saturated thickness of the aqu
