PROPOSED NATIONAL GROUND WATER
MONITORING PROGRAM
Beverly Herzog, Christine Reimer, Cartier Esham
National Monitoring ConferenceMay 8, 2006
AcknowledgmentAcknowledgment
Dr. David WunschDr. David WunschNew Hampshire State GeologistNew Hampshire State Geologist
Why & How We Designed Why & How We Designed a Plana Plan
Why?Why? Importance of ground waterImportance of ground water Previous surveysPrevious surveys Request by OSTPRequest by OSTP
HowHow Meeting at Summit 2005Meeting at Summit 2005 Input from Government Affairs Input from Government Affairs
and its subcommittee/task and its subcommittee/task forceforce
Importance of Ground Importance of Ground WaterWater
47.9% of America’s population uses 47.9% of America’s population uses ground water as drinking water ground water as drinking water sourcesource 75% of community water systems75% of community water systems Nearly all of rural AmericaNearly all of rural America
42.4% of country’s irrigation water 42.4% of country’s irrigation water is ground wateris ground water
25% of total fresh water is ground 25% of total fresh water is ground water; 1% is surface water and rest water; 1% is surface water and rest is locked in polar ice and glaciersis locked in polar ice and glaciers
The Survey: What We The Survey: What We AskedAsked
Type of organizationType of organization Expected groundwater supply Expected groundwater supply
shortage?shortage? Why?Why?
How good is your information?How good is your information? Supply estimates and various types of Supply estimates and various types of
datadata What types of additional information What types of additional information
are most important?are most important? What should the federal government What should the federal government
do to help meet information gaps? do to help meet information gaps?
Groundwater Shortage Groundwater Shortage Forecasts: Combined Forecasts: Combined
Survey ResponsesSurvey Responses
Statewide nowStatewide futureUrban & rural nowUrban now, both future
Urban Now Urban futureRural Now Rural now, both future
Rural futureUrban and rural futureNo problems/other
Reasons for Reasons for ShortagesShortages
Quantity QualityLegalQuantity & QualityQuant. & Legal All 3 reasonsNo Shortage
State Survey Knowledge State Survey Knowledge SummarySummary
Most Most informationinformation Water level Water level
monitoring monitoring network (3.36)network (3.36)
Statewide Statewide aquifer maps aquifer maps
Hydraulic Hydraulic properties properties
Water qualityWater quality Water use data Water use data Consumptive Consumptive
use data (2.96)use data (2.96)
Least informationLeast information Quality Quality
monitoring monitoring network (2.78)network (2.78)
Groundwater Flow Groundwater Flow modelsmodels
On-line dataOn-line data Recharge ratesRecharge rates 3-D aquifer 3-D aquifer
maps/modelsmaps/models Artificial recharge Artificial recharge
opportunities opportunities (1.96)(1.96)
5=met goal 1=no information
Knowledge of Knowledge of Groundwater AvailabilityGroundwater Availability
05
10152025303540
% of Respondents
VeryConf. all
VeryConf.Major
Reas. Est.All
Reas. Est.Major
Know allLocs
KnowMajor
Locations
LimitedInfo
State Geologists NGWA Members
Most Important Most Important Types of Data to ExpandTypes of Data to Expand
State SurveysState Surveys Hydraulic Hydraulic
properties of major properties of major aquifersaquifers
Groundwater level Groundwater level monitoring networkmonitoring network
Statewide aquifer Statewide aquifer mapsmaps
Accurate water use Accurate water use datadata
Water quality for all Water quality for all aquifersaquifers
Groundwater Groundwater recharge ratesrecharge rates
NGWA MembersNGWA Members Accurate water use Accurate water use
datadata Water quality for all Water quality for all
aquifersaquifers Hydraulic properties Hydraulic properties
of major aquifersof major aquifers Groundwater level Groundwater level
monitoring networkmonitoring network On-line aquifer dataOn-line aquifer data Groundwater Groundwater
recharge ratesrecharge rates
Top 5 Desired Federal Top 5 Desired Federal ActionsActions
1.1. Increase funding for cooperative Increase funding for cooperative ground water quantity data collectionground water quantity data collection
2.2. Increase funding for cooperative Increase funding for cooperative ground water quality data collectionground water quality data collection
3.3. Increase funding for aquifer mappingIncrease funding for aquifer mapping
4.4. Increase ground water availability Increase ground water availability researchresearch
Top 5 Desired Federal Top 5 Desired Federal Actions (cont.)Actions (cont.)
State geologists’ #5: Fund State geologists’ #5: Fund public education and outreach public education and outreach on water conservationon water conservation
NGWA members’ #5: Develop a NGWA members’ #5: Develop a national ground water national ground water clearinghouseclearinghouse
Survey ConclusionsSurvey Conclusions1.1. Most states are experiencing at least local Most states are experiencing at least local
shortages now.shortages now.2.2. Most states have at least a reasonable Most states have at least a reasonable
estimate of the potential yield of major estimate of the potential yield of major aquifers.aquifers.
3.3. Few states have met any goals in Few states have met any goals in collecting any type of ground water data.collecting any type of ground water data.
4.4. Priorities for collecting more data parallel Priorities for collecting more data parallel types of data already being collected, types of data already being collected, perhaps because goals are not met.perhaps because goals are not met.
5.5. Cooperative federal and state programs Cooperative federal and state programs for ground water data collection favoredfor ground water data collection favored
OSTP Subcommittee on OSTP Subcommittee on Water Availability and Water Availability and
QualityQuality Report released Report released
early 2005 early 2005
Questions Questions posed to NGWA posed to NGWA by OSTPby OSTP
Questions Posed to Questions Posed to NGWANGWA
1.1. What information needs does long-term What information needs does long-term ground water quality and quantity ground water quality and quantity monitoring address?monitoring address?
2.2. What are the long-term ground water What are the long-term ground water monitoring needs?monitoring needs?
3.3. What should the federal role be as What should the federal role be as regards long-term quality and quantity regards long-term quality and quantity ground water monitoring?ground water monitoring?
4.4. How does the federal government How does the federal government integrate its role with private sector, integrate its role with private sector, local and state government monitoring local and state government monitoring efforts?efforts?
5.5. What are the priority actions that the What are the priority actions that the federal government should take relative federal government should take relative to long-term quality and quantity to long-term quality and quantity ground water monitoringground water monitoring??
Summit 2005 Summit 2005 CommitteeCommittee
William M. Alley, USGS, San Diego, CAWilliam M. Alley, USGS, San Diego, CA
Raymond Brady. Panhandle Ground Raymond Brady. Panhandle Ground Water Conservation District, White Water Conservation District, White Deer, TXDeer, TX
John Bredehoeft, PhD, The John Bredehoeft, PhD, The HydroDynamics GroupHydroDynamics Group
Michael E. Campana, PhD, University Michael E. Campana, PhD, University of NM of NM
Lee Clapp, PhD, Texas A & M Lee Clapp, PhD, Texas A & M UniversityUniversity
Elizabeth Corr, U.S. EPA, Washington Elizabeth Corr, U.S. EPA, Washington DCDC
John A. Daniel, PhD, U.S. Department John A. Daniel, PhD, U.S. Department of Agriculture, El Reno, OKof Agriculture, El Reno, OK
Amy Hardberger, Lubbock, TXAmy Hardberger, Lubbock, TX
Beverly Herzog, Illinois State Beverly Herzog, Illinois State Geological SurveyGeological Survey
Larry A. Lyons, Lyons Well Drilling Co. Inc.Larry A. Lyons, Lyons Well Drilling Co. Inc.
Robert E. Mace, PhD, TX Water Development Robert E. Mace, PhD, TX Water Development BdBd
Dave Mercer, Westbay Instruments Inc.Dave Mercer, Westbay Instruments Inc.
Michael Paque, Ground Water Protection Michael Paque, Ground Water Protection Council, Council, Oklahoma City, OKOklahoma City, OK
Timothy K. Parker, CA Department of Water Timothy K. Parker, CA Department of Water ResourcesResources
Glenn G. Patterson, USGS, Reston, VAGlenn G. Patterson, USGS, Reston, VA
Craig Pederson, URS CorpCraig Pederson, URS Corp
Kenneth M. Tyrrell, URS Corp.Kenneth M. Tyrrell, URS Corp.
Venki Uddameri, PhD, Texas A & M UniversityVenki Uddameri, PhD, Texas A & M University
David Wunsch, PhD, NH Geological SurveyDavid Wunsch, PhD, NH Geological Survey
Why Undertake Long Term Why Undertake Long Term Ground Water Monitoring?Ground Water Monitoring?
1.1. Assess the resource’s ability to Assess the resource’s ability to support population growth and support population growth and developmentdevelopment
2.2. Help design and assess effectiveness Help design and assess effectiveness of mgmt and protection programsof mgmt and protection programs
3.3. Identify short and long-term changes Identify short and long-term changes to ground water to ground water
4.4. Identify artificial ground water Identify artificial ground water recharge opportunitiesrecharge opportunities
5.5. Assess ground water and surface Assess ground water and surface water interactions water interactions
6.6. Provide data for modeling Provide data for modeling 7.7. Provide a more accurate estimate of Provide a more accurate estimate of
actual ground water withdrawals actual ground water withdrawals
What Are the Long-Term What Are the Long-Term Monitoring Needs?Monitoring Needs?
National ground National ground water water quality quality monitoring monitoring networknetwork
National ground National ground waterwater level level monitoring monitoring networknetwork
What Are the Long-Term What Are the Long-Term Monitoring Needs?Monitoring Needs?
Ambient ground water Ambient ground water monitoringmonitoring long-term response of long-term response of
aquifers in “natural aquifers in “natural conditions”conditions”
Impacted areas Impacted areas monitoringmonitoring impacted by withdrawalsimpacted by withdrawals various land uses various land uses
Targeted monitoringTargeted monitoring answer specific management answer specific management
questions questions
What Should the Federal What Should the Federal Role be?Role be?
1.1. Support a collaborative framework Support a collaborative framework
2.2. Develop guidelines for data Develop guidelines for data collection, quality control, storage collection, quality control, storage and retrievaland retrieval
3.3. Provide federal funding for Provide federal funding for cooperative monitoring network cooperative monitoring network development and operation development and operation
4.4. Establish a national clearinghouseEstablish a national clearinghouse
How to Integrate How to Integrate Various Roles?Various Roles?
Federal government is “glue” to hold Federal government is “glue” to hold collective efforts togethercollective efforts together
States should develop state ground States should develop state ground water availability and quality picturewater availability and quality picture
Private sector firms should perform Private sector firms should perform exploratory drilling and install exploratory drilling and install monitoring wells monitoring wells
What Should Federal What Should Federal Priorities Be?Priorities Be?
Federal funding of cooperative ground Federal funding of cooperative ground water quantity monitoringwater quantity monitoring
Federal funding of cooperative ground Federal funding of cooperative ground water quality monitoringwater quality monitoring
Additional prioritiesAdditional priorities Demonstrating a commitment to Demonstrating a commitment to
collaborative ground water quality and collaborative ground water quality and quantity data collection quantity data collection
Ensuring the availability of quality data at Ensuring the availability of quality data at appropriate scaleappropriate scale
Supporting research and developmentSupporting research and development Promoting public education and outreachPromoting public education and outreach
What’s Next?What’s Next? OSTP Subcomm. on Water Avail. OSTP Subcomm. on Water Avail.
and Quantity is considering this and Quantity is considering this paper in their water strategy paper in their water strategy paperspapers Their Priorities: Their Priorities:
Knowing water supply and useKnowing water supply and use Increasing water supplyIncreasing water supply
Draft long-term strategy for water Draft long-term strategy for water R&D due out this summer R&D due out this summer
National Ground Water Monitoring National Ground Water Monitoring Ad Hoc Task Force Tuesday at 5:15Ad Hoc Task Force Tuesday at 5:15
Thank You!
Questions?
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