STATIC WATER LEVEL MAPPING IN EAST CENTRAL MICHIGAN1

ABSTRACT: This paper presents a methodology for preparing a static water level map using a sample of water level measurements obtained from the well log records of private wells that are finished in glacial drift. The test was conducted in Tyrone Township, located in east central Michigan. A variety of selection criteria were examined and the resulting maps were compared with a ground truth map that was prepared from water level measurements obtained in the field. The map prepared from a random sample of wells at a density of two points per section best approximates the ground truth map. Using a sample of records from the Michigan Statewide Groundwater Database to create static water levels that are used in community ground water vulnerability analyses will provide a more accurate map than using the complete dataset or other selection criteria based on temporal groupings or seasonality.