RECENT GROUNDWATER LEVELS AT THE LANGTREE PENINSULA RESEARCH STATION (NC PIEDMONT): GROUNDWATER NETWORKS CAN RECORD ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE

This study compared historical and current groundwater level data to assess their changes over time and whether they are reflective of regional environmental changes. We sought to determine if there have been significant changes in well water depths at the Langtree Peninsula Research Station in the two decades since the research well establishment. Seasonality, climate change induced changes in precipitation patterns, and urban development were considered as possible factors behind the observed changes in groundwater levels. Water levels in ten research wells from spring to fall of 2022 were measured to compare with historical data dating back to 2001. Trends at three other nested wells at the site, continuously recorded by USGS, were also examined using a time series decomposition. The three well clusters are organized by depth (shallow, intermediate, and deep) and are all located at Langtree Peninsula Research Station near Mooresville, North Carolina. Water level measurements were collected periodically during seven site visits between April-October 2022. T-tests and time-series analyses were conducted to assess the significance of water level changes and to isolate the effects of seasonal precipitation trends on water levels. Seasonal recharge effects typically lead to higher well water levels in the spring and lower levels in the fall due to traditionally higher levels of precipitation in the winter months. Recent measurements suggest both increases and decreases in well water levels at the study site – some deep wells (typical of depths used for groundwater pumping on the Piedmont) experienced an decrease, whereas some shallow and intermediate wells experienced an increase. In addition to the Langtree Peninsula wells, we examined other urbanized well sites in the region. With continually increasing urban development in the Piedmont region and other environmental factors, changes in well water levels continue to be an important indicator of environmental change.