How Groundwater Pumping Can Create a Cone of Depression

This educational graphic shows how pumping large amounts of groundwater can lower the water level around a well, creating a “cone of depression.” If the water level falls below the depth of a nearby shallower well, that well can lose access to groundwater. The graphic credits Mount Pleasant Waterworks and the U.S. Geological Survey.

This is not a Horse Creek groundwater model and does not predict that neighborhood wells will go dry. It simply illustrates why residents are asking for the project’s water source, pumping rate and groundwater analysis before any significant groundwater withdrawal occurs.

Educational Graphic — Secondary Reference