A Geospatial Approach to Assessing Water Availability Around Drummond, Montana
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Authors
Trainor, Willem
Date of Issue
2025-04-25
Type
Presentation
Language
en_US
Subject Keywords
Other Titles
Abstract
In rural areas, water availability can be scarce. Therefore, landowners often rely on geospatial interpretation to identify possible water sources. Spatial interpolation, which is the estimation of new data based on a discrete set of known information, assumes that values change in a continuous manner and are spatially dependent. It is often used in site selection when the data being weighed is not concrete. In order to find the most suitable sites, a weighted suitability model can be used. A weighted suitability model allows raster data to be ranked based on fitness and then analyzed for the best probable outcomes. In this research project, I aim to interpolate a water table using a weighted suitability model in ArcGIS Pro. The study area is 80 acres of land within the Garnet Range, just northwest of Drummond, MT. Already there are wells drilled within the area. Using present well depth data, I will spatially interpolate a digital elevation model of an underlying water table. Using data on the underlying geology, aquitard layers, subsurface soil horizons, surface vegetation, and land ownership, I will create a weighted suitability model to find the probability of a well head drill site for water usage.
Description
SRF poster. Abstract only.