North Dakota State Water Commission Uses New Technology to Locate Groundwater

The technique uses a helicopter with a giant, hoop-shaped antenna

FARGO, N.D. — The North Dakota State Water Commission is using a new technology to survey major groundwater supplies in the area.

It involves using a helicopter with a giant, hoop-shaped antenna flying just 100 feet over Cass and Richland counties.

The technology allows the water commission to collect data in just two weeks instead of what would normally take years of research.

They are specifically looking for differences between clays, sands, gravels and shales.

“I liken it to giving the earth an MRI,” said Jon Patch, director of water appropriation at the North Dakota State Water Commission.  “It’s sending a pulse signal down and then receiving that back and they can determine from the time in the delays within those signals what the type of material it is that the signal is going through in the earth.”

The water commission can tell they’ve found groundwater if they pick up any sand or gravel.