Montana Ground Water Monitoring Program
Administering Entity: Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology (MBMG)
Entity Type(s): State, University
Water Resource: Springs, Wells
Primary Data Type(s): Groundwater Level, Water Chemistry
Primary Watershed Monitoring Objective(s): Baseline, Long Term Fixed Station, Trends
Subbasins: Statewide
Aquatic Invasive Species Type:
Counties: Statewide
Volunteers: no
Contact Name: John LaFave
Summary of Monitoring Objectives:
The MBMG Ground Water Assessment Program maintains a state-wide groundwater monitoring network that includes collection of water-level and water-quality data from about 800 wells. Several cooperators maintain local groundwater-level networks and share their data with MBMG. Cooperators include:
• Confederated Salish Kootenai Tribes Water Resources Program
• Gallatin Local Water Quality District
• Missoula Valley Water Quality District
• Lewis and Clark Water Quality Protection District
• Sheridan Conservation District
• Yellowstone Controlled Groundwater Area
The wells are visited at least quarterly for water-level measurements (about 120 of the wells are equipped with pressure transducers) and, if funding allows, sampled on a frequency of 7 to 10 years.
Data are stored and downloadable from the MBM Ground Water Information Center website: https://mbmggwic.mtech.edu/