Ground-Water Supplies Available for National Defense Industries in South-Central Kansas

Abstract

This report calls timely attention to the availability in south-central Kansas of large supplies of ground water for use by many national defense industries. Detailed study of the northern part of the area by the cooperating state, federal, and municipal agencies led in 1940 to the development of a new groundwater supply for the city of Wichita.

As much as 5,000,000 gallons daily of good water could be pumped continuously from the productive sands and gravels occupying most of the McPherson filled valley, and larger supplies could be pumped in favorable areas for a period of a few years.

Supplies of from 10,000,000 to more than 20,000,000 gallons daily are available from wells along the southwestern part of the Arkansas valley between Hutchinson and Wichita, and somewhat smaller supplies are available in the valley downstream from Wichita. Much larger supplies would be available in this valley for a period of a few years. Except in the new supply area of the city of Wichita, where additional development is not warranted, the ground water in most parts of the valley is hard and locally somewhat brackish, but is suitable for many industrial uses.