Water Well Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/440561
North Dakota's reported average well depth among 1621 wells was 85 feet. The shallowest depth to groundwater in 2013 was 27 feet in Delaware, and the shallowest depth to the pump bowls was 49 feet in Alaska. Rhode Island again led the nation with the least pumping capacity on aver- age, 42 gpm (up from 17 gpm in 2008), while Alaska led the nation with the fewest annual hours of operation, 149. Energy costs to extract groundwater were generally more expensive in 2013 than those costs for using surface water. The energy costs for groundwater in- clude the cost to lift the groundwater to the surface. Average 2013 horsepower to drive irrigation well pumps was 87 hp, up 13 hp (18%) from 2008. These units averaged 940 operating hours in 2013. See Table 3 for more on energy costs. Members of NGWA may receive a free Microsoft Excel spreadsheet summarizing the nation's irrigated agriculture by groundwater for 2003. To request a copy, members can email the author at kmccray@ngwa.org. Additional groundwater market details are available from NGWA at www.NGWA.org. Table 3. Energy Costs, in Dollars per Irrigated Acre, Associated with Irrigation Well Pumps, 2008–2013 Surface Water LP, Propane Gasoline Electricity Natural Gas Market Share Butane or Gasohol 2008 $57.60 $93.03 $38.72 $54.20 $84.98 2013 $59.59 $55.38 $36.91 $45.61 $48.29 Percent change in costs: 2008–2013 3.45 -40.47 -4.67 -15.85 -43.17 Actual difference in dollars per irrigation acre $1.99 -$37.65 -$1.81 -$8.59 -$36.69 2008 acres irrigated by well pumps using this energy source 21,753,795 4,369,862 857,587 10,257,875 44,093 2013 acres irrigated by well pumps using this energy source 23,800,355 3,931,248 937,556 10,079,483 92,513 Percent change in acres 9.4 -10.03 9.3 -1.74 109.81 Actual difference in 2008 to 2013 acres irrigated by well pumps using this energy source +2,046,560 -438,614 +79,969 -178,392 +48,420 Source: Derived from 2013 Census of Agriculture, USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service, November 2014. WWJ Kevin McCray, CAE, is the chief executive officer of the National Ground Water Association. He can be reached at kmccray @ngwa.org. Across the nation in 2013, some 35,720 farms had nearly 13 million acres irrigated by more than 130,000 wells equipped with flowmeters and more than 76,000 farms has more than 24 million acres served by more than 310,00 wells equipped with backflow prevention devices. Twitter @WaterWellJournl WWJ January 2015 31