Groundwater Quantity Fundamentals
Groundwater quantity fundamentals in Wisconsin’s central sands region from the Wisconsin Food, Land, and Water Project, Groundwater Quantity Work Group – 8/17/17
Groundwater Pumping Effects
Groundwater Pumping Effects on Groundwater Levels, Lake Levels, and Streamflows in Wisconsin Central Sands from UW-SP Center for Watershed Science & Education – 3/15/10 – (Note: page 30/slide 44 Hydrographs of annual average groundwater levels/trends)
Little Plover River (LPR) Modeling Study
- Saving the ‘endangered’ Little Plover River – 7/21/13 – Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism
- UW-Madison Ext webpage for LPR study update, materials (handout, 2 presentations) provided at public event held at UW-SP – 4/12/16
- A Groundwater Flow Model for the Little Plover River Basin in Wisconsin – 4/6/17 – includes downloadable report, user’s manual, and video of panel discussion from 4/12/16 public event
Central Sands Lakes Study (CSLS)
2017 Wisconsin Act 10 legislation requires the DNR to Evaluate and model the hydrology of Pleasant Lake, Plainfield Lake, and Long Lake “to determine whether existing and potential groundwater withdrawals are causing or are likely to cause a significant reduction of the lake’s water level below its average seasonal levels” and “to determine whether existing and potential groundwater withdrawals are causing or are likely to cause a significant reduction of the lake’s water level below its average seasonal levels”.
- DNR Webpage – CSLS
- Scope of Study
- DNR study update – Waushara Co Watershed Lakes Council meeting – 5/11/19
- DNR study update – January 2020
- DNR study update for CSWAC newsletter – 4/10/20
- Funding article – “Budget Committee OKs More Funding for High Cap Well Study” – 1/16/20
- DNR News Release – DNR Recommends Regional Strategy for Central Sands High Capacity Well Withdrawals

Water Resource Management Challenges
Sustaining central sands water resources – state of the science 2014 – 10/14 – a comprehensive scientific report by UW Cooperative Extension re: water resource management challenges in the central sands