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Washington State Groundwater Projects

Groundwater Science in Washington State

Rainier River

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has a long history of working with local partners to understand the groundwater of Washington State. From the late 1800’s when efforts were focused on locating flowing artesian wells to support farming, to current efforts focused on preparing complex computer models to help in the management of heavily-used groundwater, the USGS continues to contribute to the growing body of knowledge about Washington groundwater.

This application includes information about ongoing or completed groundwater studies in Washington. Included are studies from coastal areas, the densely populated Puget Sound, central and eastern Washington, and cross-boundary areas shared with Canada, Oregon, and Idaho. Although methods of investigation and reporting have changed through time, these studies provide historical context and insights into groundwater conditions throughout the state that can be used in the continued development, management, and protection of Washington State’s groundwater resources.

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Map Layers

Water Resource Inventory Areas
Counties
Tribal Lands
Watersheds
Major Rivers
Principal Aquifers

Project Study Areas

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AREA COLOR
Groundwater study
Groundwater study with numerical flow model
AREA BORDER
Area of study completed in partnership with Tribes
Area of study completed in partnership with local, State, and Federal agencies

Water Resource Inventory Areas

Comments: Washington State is divided into 62 Water Resource Inventory Areas (WRIA) that delineate major watersheds.

Data Source: USGS Texas Water Science Center

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Water Resource Inventory Area (WRIA) boundary

Counties

Data Source: Washington State Department of Transportation

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County boundary

Tribal Lands

Comments: Depicts the Bureau of Indian Affairs' Indian Land Areas Map of federally recognized Tribes. Areas include Reservations, Public Domain Allotments, and Trust or Restricted Fee land.

Data Source: Bureau of Indian Affairs

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Tribal land

Watersheds

Comments: Watershed boundaries are determined by hydrologic units.

Data Source: USGS Texas Water Science Center

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Watershed boundary

Major Rivers

Comments: Depicts the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) that encodes information about naturally occurring and constructed bodies of surface water (lakes, ponds, and reservoirs) and paths through which water flows (canals, ditches, streams, and rivers).

Data Source: USGS National Map

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Waterbody
Stream
Intermittent Stream

Principal Aquifers

Comments: Color group determines general aquifer type. Color groups are sub-divided into more detailed aquifer classifications as shown here.

Data Source: USGS National Water Information System: Mapper

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Blues Unconsolidated and semiconsolidated sand and gravel aquifers
Greens Sandstone aquifers
Purples Sandstone and carbonate-rock aquifers
Browns Carbonate-rock aquifers
Reds Igneous and metamorphic-rock aquifers
White Other