Dresden (Pettis County R-12) School
Observation Well

Well Owner: Missouri Department of Natural Resources

Property Owner: Pettis County R-12 School

Location: SE 1/4 SE 1/4 Sec. 21, T. 46 N, R. 22 W

Pettis County

Period of record: August 2000 to present

Land surface elevation: 835 feet (approximately)

Date installed: August 18, 2000

Date drilled: June 2000

Well log number: No log currently available

Water level when drilled: 225 feet

Total depth: 456 feet

Casing depth: 202 feet of 6-inch diameter steel casing, grouted w/ 30 sacks bentonite

Producing aquifer: Ozark Aquifer

Formations open to production: Cotter Dolomite, Jefferson City Dolomite

The community of Dresden is in western Pettis County about 4 miles west of Sedalia. In the mid-1990s, water-use patterns changed considerably in this area when a large poultry processing facility began production. The facility makes use of three deep Ozark aquifer wells to supply all of the water needs there. Shortly after the facility began full production nearby residents supplied from relatively shallow private domestic wells began began reporting water-level decline problems.

The Dresden School observation well was the first new observation well drilled under the observation well network expansion that was approved by the Missouri General Assembly in 1999. It was placed in this area to monitor groundwater-level changes due to increased groundwater use. Water use information reported to the department under the major water users law shows that the poultry facility uses approximately 700 million gallons of water per year.