Skip to main content
Indiana Geological and Water Survey
Indiana University

Indiana Water Balance Network

The Indiana Water Balance Network (IWBN) is a statewide network of IGWS monitoring stations that collect various hydrologic data, such as near-surface atmospheric conditions, physical soil parameters, and groundwater levels, to monitor long-term trends in the hydrologic cycle.The goal of the IWBN is to monitor long-term trends for various components of the hydrologic cycle. These data are collected to monitor mesoscale meteorology for state-level water resource evaluation and management for agricultural, industrial, and municipal end users.

Station Overview

The IWBN captures data at 15 stations across the state. Monitoring sites are named according to the cardinal direction relative to the nearest incorporated city or town, and the sequence of monitoring initiation in the case of multiple nearby sites. 

The environment, soil type, soil parent, and vegetation type is provided for each station. These landscape and environmental complexities each affect measurements of wind speed and solar radiation, vegetation variability that might influence soil-water dynamics, and groundwater pumping from nearby wells that can alter natural trends in groundwater levels. 

Stations

  • Station Name: Bloomington_N
  • Station Alias: Griffy Woods
  • Latitude: 39.19
  • Longitude: -86.51
  • Groundwater monitoring: Yes
  • Landscape: Unglaciated upland
  • Soil Type: Clay
  • Soil Parent: Loess/Residuum
  • Vegetation: Conservation/prairie

  • Station Name: Brownsburg_N1
  • Station Alias: School Branch West
  • Latitude: 39.89
  • Longitude: -86.37
  • Groundwater monitoring: Yes
  • Landscape: Ground moraine
  • Soil Type: Loam
  • Soil Parent: Glacial till
  • Vegetation: Corn/soybean

  • Station Name: Brownsburg_N2
  • Station Alias: School Branch Control
  • Latitude: 39.89
  • Longitude: -86.38
  • Groundwater monitoring: Yes
  • Landscape: Ground moraine
  • Soil Type: Loam
  • Soil Parent: Glacial till
  • Vegetation: Corn/soybean

  • Station Name: Brownsburg_NE1
  • Station Alias: School Branch East
  • Latitude: 39.88
  • Longitude: -86.36
  • Groundwater monitoring: Yes
  • Landscape: Ground moraine
  • Soil Type: Loam
  • Soil Parent: Glacial till
  • Vegetation: Corn/soybean

  • Station Name: FortWayne_N1
  • Station Alias: Wabash Moraine
  • Latitude: 41.25
  • Longitude: -85.12
  • Groundwater monitoring: Yes
  • Landscape: End moraine
  • Soil Type: Clay loam
  • Soil Parent: Glacial till
  • Vegetation: Conservation/prairie

  • Station Name: FortWayne_N3
  • Station Alias: Eel River Yoder
  • Latitude: 41.26
  • Longitude: -85.13
  • Groundwater monitoring: Yes
  • Landscape: Terrace
  • Soil Type: Sandy loam
  • Soil Parent: Glacial outwash
  • Vegetation: Conservation/prairie

  • Station Name: Glenwood_N
  • Station Alias: Shelbyville Moraine
  • Latitude: 39.64
  • Longitude: -85.29
  • Groundwater monitoring: Yes
  • Landscape: End moraine
  • Soil Type: Silty clay loam
  • Soil Parent: Loess/Glacial till
  • Vegetation: Lawn

  • Station Name: Indianapolis_N
  • Station Alias: Marian University Ecolab
  • Latitude: 39.82
  • Longitude: -86.2
  • Groundwater monitoring: Yes
  • Landscape: Floodplain
  • Soil Type: Sandy loam
  • Soil Parent: Glacial outwash
  • Vegetation: Conservation/Wetland

  • Station Name: LakeStation_W
  • Station Alias: Lake Station
  • Latitude: 41.58
  • Longitude: -87.27
  • Groundwater monitoring: Yes
  • Landscape: Dune
  • Soil Type: Silty clay loam
  • Soil Parent: Marl/Eolian sand
  • Vegetation: Conservation/Wetland

  • Station Name: Martinsville_N
  • Station Alias: Bradford Woods
  • Latitude: 39.5
  • Longitude: -86.43
  • Groundwater monitoring: Yes
  • Landscape: Floodplain
  • Soil Type: Silt loam
  • Soil Parent: Alluvium
  • Vegetation: Conservation/Prairie

  • Station Name: Muncie_N
  • Station Alias: Ball State University
  • Latitude: 40.22
  • Longitude: -85.42
  • Groundwater monitoring: Yes
  • Landscape: Ground moraine
  • Soil Type: Clay loam
  • Soil Parent: Glacial till
  • Vegetation: Lawn

  • Station Name: NewCastle_NE
  • Station Alias: Henry County
  • Latitude: 40.05
  • Longitude: -85.31
  • Groundwater monitoring: Yes
  • Landscape: Floodplain
  • Soil Type: Loam
  • Soil Parent: Loess/Glacial till
  • Vegetation: Corn/Soybean

  • Station Name: Rushville_S
  • Station Alias: Flat Rock River
  • Latitude: 39.58
  • Longitude: -85.47
  • Groundwater monitoring: Yes
  • Landscape: Terrace
  • Soil Type: Sandy clay loam
  • Soil Parent: Glacial till
  • Vegetation: Corn/Soybean

  • Station Name: Washington_E
  • Station Alias: Daviess County
  • Latitude: 38.67
  • Longitude: -87.07
  • Groundwater monitoring: No
  • Landscape: Loess hills
  • Soil Type: Silt loam
  • Soil Parent: Loess/Residuum
  • Vegetation: Conservation/Prairie

  • Station Name: Jasper_S
  • Station Alias: Cedar Crest
  • Latitude: 38.31
  • Longitude: -86.87
  • Groundwater monitoring: Yes
  • Landscape: Ridge
  • Soil Type: Silt loam
  • Soil Parent: Loess over loamy residuum weathered from sandstone and shale
  • Vegetation: Lawn