Characterizing the Water Resources of the Mountain Home Plateau, Southern Idaho
Residents, businesses, agricultural producers, and Mountain Home Air Force Base all rely on the Mountain Home Plateau's groundwater resources. Declining groundwater levels raise concerns about the sustainability of the regional aquifer. The Idaho Department of Water Resources (IDWR) needs updated information about the groundwater resources of the Mountain Home Plateau to help administer water rights and to develop a groundwater model to simulate resource management scenarios.
How the USGS Will Help
Approach
To develop the hydrogeologic framework:
- compile and analyze hydrologic and geologic information previously collected in the study area
- conduct field trips, as necessary, to inspect local geology and verify feature locations
- conduct a synoptic groundwater-level measurement of wells in the study area
- develop a digital borehole database
- develop a conceptual hydrogeologic framework and build a three-dimensional hydrogeologic framework model.
- publish model documentation and data
To develop the groundwater budget:
- compile and analyze hydrologic information previously collected in the study area
- conduct field trips, as necessary, to tour local irrigation networks
- estimate each groundwater budget component representing aquifer inflows (e.g., precipitation, applied irrigation recharge, stream and canal seepage, managed recharge, mountain front recharge, and septic system effluent recharge) and outflows (e.g., groundwater pumping, spring discharge) and calculate change in storage.
- publish budget documentation and data
The study is estimated to conclude in Autumn 2025.
We thank these partners for their support of this project.
Residents, businesses, agricultural producers, and Mountain Home Air Force Base all rely on the Mountain Home Plateau's groundwater resources. Declining groundwater levels raise concerns about the sustainability of the regional aquifer. The Idaho Department of Water Resources (IDWR) needs updated information about the groundwater resources of the Mountain Home Plateau to help administer water rights and to develop a groundwater model to simulate resource management scenarios.
How the USGS Will Help
Approach
To develop the hydrogeologic framework:
- compile and analyze hydrologic and geologic information previously collected in the study area
- conduct field trips, as necessary, to inspect local geology and verify feature locations
- conduct a synoptic groundwater-level measurement of wells in the study area
- develop a digital borehole database
- develop a conceptual hydrogeologic framework and build a three-dimensional hydrogeologic framework model.
- publish model documentation and data
To develop the groundwater budget:
- compile and analyze hydrologic information previously collected in the study area
- conduct field trips, as necessary, to tour local irrigation networks
- estimate each groundwater budget component representing aquifer inflows (e.g., precipitation, applied irrigation recharge, stream and canal seepage, managed recharge, mountain front recharge, and septic system effluent recharge) and outflows (e.g., groundwater pumping, spring discharge) and calculate change in storage.
- publish budget documentation and data
The study is estimated to conclude in Autumn 2025.
We thank these partners for their support of this project.