What is an Aquifer?

An aquifer is a body of bedrock which produces a usable quantity of water. You may imagine it as a lake filled with rock resting below the earth's surface. Water fills the spaces between the rocks.

Hydrology is one of the earth sciences. It deals with the circulation of water on and below the earth's surface and in the atmosphere. The central idea is that water moves over and through the Earth in pathways, evaporates and then forms clouds. These clouds produce rain, which flows back into lakes, rivers or aquifers, completing the cycle. You can learn much more about these topics by visiting various websites. Here are a few of our recommendations:

• A Groundwater Primer produced by EPA and Purdue University
• Water facts of Oklahoma - Oklahoma Water Resources Board
• Missouri's Bryant Creek Watershed has a lot in common with the Arbuckle Simpson aquifer.

Learn more about the Arbuckle Simpson aquifer by watching the video "A Treasure Threatened." The video runs approximately 12 minutes, but your download speed will determine the total time for viewing. If you'd like to go there now, click here

Arbuckle Simpson Study

A new study of the Arbuckle Simpson aquifer was mandated in 2003 by the passage of Senate Bill 288 (SB288) by the Oklahoma Legislature. The five-year study is being conducted by the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB). It will be the most intensive analysis of surface and groundwater interaction ever conducted in Oklahoma. The study will:

• address the complex geology and management issues confronting all users of the aquifer;
• help predict the response of springs and streams to groundwater withdrawals; and
• provide state and local decision makers with the necessary information to deterine how water resources in the region should best be utilized while protecting area springs and streams.

To receive updates on the Arbuckle Simpson Study, you may join the mailing list (call the OWRB at 405.530.8800) or visit the OWRB's Arbuckle Simpson Hydrology Study website.

Other information:

Seeps, springs, creeks and rivers of the Arbuckle Simpson aquifer.