A new study by the state Department of Natural Resources shows that high-capacity wells have been reducing the level of three lakes in the Central Sands region, affecting ecosystems and recreation in the area.
The study was built on decades of studies evaluating groundwater and surface water connections in the region, in addition to evaluations over the past three years conducted by DNR staff.
High-capacity wells have long been a source of tension in the region, with lawsuits filed by environmental groups pushing back against such high rates of withdrawals from one single area.
High-capacity wells have the ability to withdraw more than 100,000 gallons of water a day from the ground and are usually used for agricultural purposes, such as irrigation. In 2018, the last year with available data, there were 14,000 high-capacity wells in the state, with 3,100 of those located within the study area.