The drilling program supports DWR's Appropriation Division in the management of groundwater resources by constructing monitoring wells at selected depths in aquifers throughout the state. Data collected from monitoring wells are used to create and build groundwater models that are used in decision-making for consideration of approving water permits.
From 1990-2023 the drilling program has drilled 3,836 sites with approximately 513,745 feet drilled. Roughly the distance from Bismarck to Jamestown.
Even with our extensive network of wells...New drilling is still required to determine the sustainability of additional pumping from aquifers. As North Dakota's aquifers become more developed, it becomes more challenging to appropriate additional water from these aquifers. Additional drilling data is necessary to complete groundwater models to make important water management decisions. Today, much of the drilling completed is to maintain one of the nation’s largest monitoring well programs by replacing old monitoring wells.
The drillers collect samples of sediments that are collected while drilling. After a borehole is completed, and prior to well construction, a geophysical survey (Natural Gamma, Self-Potential (SP), Single Point Resistance (SPR), Resistivity) of the borehole is completed. These surveys use site investigation methods to extract core soil samples across a site, allowing for a picture to be built up of how the site has formed over time, and to identify any layers, features or areas which might be archaeologically significant.
Once a monitoring well is constructed, water level and water quality data can be collected. Water levels can be collected by manual measurements at annual, quarterly, or monthly frequencies. If a Pushing REmote SENsors (PRESENS) monitoring system is put in place, real-time monitoring is available. PRESENS Fact Sheet (PDF)
In 2011, our drilling program assisted in the Missouri River flood effort in the Bismarck/Mandan area by quickly completing a monitoring well network adjacent to the river, so the public could be informed about rising groundwater levels that could potentially flood basements and property.
DWR monitors more than 4,100 observation wells across the state.
Monitoring Wells MapService (Interactive Map)
The Roots Of North Dakota's Drilling Program
The drilling program began in the early 1950s when the State Water Conservation Commission picked up a small drill rig that was part of a surplus sale. The agency was ramping up to begin the County Groundwater Studies that began in 1955. One of the main goals of the County Groundwater Studies was to better map the groundwater resources throughout the State by completing exploratory drilling to determine the depth and extent of the aquifers throughout North Dakota. This project was financed by the State, and completed cooperatively with the U.S. Geological Survey, ND Geological Survey, and the State Water Commission.
In 1967, with the County Groundwater Studies in full swing, a much larger drill rig, a Failing 1250 was purchased, capable of drilling to depths greater than 1,000 feet. Because the Commission owned its own drill rig and hired a contract drill company to run a second rig, North Dakota, in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey, was able to complete one of the most extensive groundwater studies in the nation. The final county study report was completed in 1985.
In 2006, the Failing 1250 was retired and replaced with a Failing 1500 drill rig. The drilling program is purchasing the fourth drill rig in its history (Versa-Drill 140X), with an expected delivery date of October 2024.
For the last 70 years, North Dakota has been gathering groundwater information through its drilling programs. The Department of Water Resources is committed to continuing to collect and analyze up-to-date information to better gauge our water resources with innovative technology, including our cutting-edge Pushing REmote SENSors (PRESENS) and Airborne Electromagnetic Surveys (AEM) programs, which we will dive in to in the next installment of Know Your Aquifer.