Ground water
Ground water is the water beneath the land surface that fills the spaces in rock and sediment. It is replenished by precipitation. Under natural conditions much of that recharge returns to the atmosphere by evapotranspiration from plants and trees or discharges to surface waters. round water discharge to surface waters allows streams to flow beyond rain and snowmelt periods and sustains lake levels during dry spells.
Ground water occurs everywhere in Minnesota, but the availability of ground water for water supplies vary throughout the state. Availability for larger withdrawals may be limited in some areas. Ground water supplies about 75 percent of Minnesota's drinking water and nearly 90 percent of the water used for agricultural irrigation.
Learn about ground water |
Ground water resource information |
Ground water concepts: what is ground water?
Ground water in Minnesota
Ground water sensitivity to pollutionGround water use and supply
Ground water for the futureFor teachers and students
Publications and information resources
DNR Waters Ground water programs and staff |
Water resources data onlineGround water maps
Ground water levels in MinnesotaGround water recharge
Ground water management
Ground water chemistry and quality
Special ground waters of Minnesota
Drinking water
Twin Cities Metropolitan area
Wells
Additional information on ground water, including GIS resources, modeling, geophysics, and more |
