Groundwater Observation Well Levels: More about the data

Alberta Environment operates a network of groundwater "observation wells" to monitor groundwater levels. The number of wells in this network has fluctuated over time due to changing budgets and resources. The number of wells used for this indicator ranges from fewer than 40 prior to 1976, to over 250 during the mid-1980's. The current network of active observation wells stands at 200 wells. Due to outside influences about 180 of these can be used for looking at groundwater trends. Being able to track the changes in the number of well over time gives context and perspective to the long-term trends that these wells show. The larger the network, the more confidence we have in any conclusions that we draw.