Water level test data for groundwater monitoring wells near Three Oaks Recreational Area, Crystal Lake, Illinois

Hydrologic influences on water levels were investigated at Three Oaks Recreation Area (TORA), a former sand-and-gravel quarry converted into recreational lakes in Crystal Lake, Illinois. From 2009 to 2015, average water levels in the lakes declined nearly 4 feet. It was not clear if these declines were related to variations in weather (precipitation or evaporation) or other hydrologic influences such as municipal supply pumping or nearby quarry operations. Data were collected using three approaches to determine the possibility of such hydrologic influences. First, water levels were collected at 15-minute intervals at three wells equipped with pressure transducers from April 14 through September 27, 2016. The continuous data allowed [...]