Ground Water Level and Quality Monitoring National Ground

“Ground Water Level and Quality Monitoring” National Ground Water Association Presentation for: Advisory Committee on Water Information January 19, 2006

NGWA Vision To be the leading community of ground water professionals that promotes the responsible development, use and management of ground water resources

NGWA Mission Dedicated to advancing the expertise of all ground water professionals and to furthering ground water awareness and protection through education and outreach.

NGWA Programming n Information Transfer n Research n Professional Certification n Networking n Public Awareness and Advocacy

NGWA Membership 15, 455 members as of 10/25/05

Ground Water n n n 25% of total fresh water is ground water; 1% is surface water and rest is locked in polar ice and glaciers 47. 9% of America’s population uses ground water as drinking water source 42. 4% of country’s irrigation water is ground water

NGWA Priorities and Activities n NGWA members and state geologists surveyed n White paper to agencies and Congress n Testimony before Senate and House n Response to White House questions on ground water monitoring

Today’s Discussion Agenda n n NGWA ground water supply surveys NGWA’s response to White House questions on ground water quality and quantity monitoring

The Survey: What We Asked n n n Type of organization Is a ground water supply shortage expected? Why? How good is your information? What additional information is most important? What should the federal government do to help meet information gaps?

State Geologist Response Research Regulatory Both

NGWA Member Response # respo nding 1 2 3 4 5 6

NGWA Members’ Organization Type

Shortage Forecast: Combined Responses Statewide now Statewide future Urban & rural now Urban now, both future Urban Now Urban future Rural Now Rural now, both future Urban and rural future No problems/other No response

Reasons for Shortages: Combined Responses Quantity Quality Legal Quantity & Quality Quant. & Legal All 3 reasons No Shortage

Information Available: State Geologists’ Responses n Most information n n n Water level monitoring network (3. 36) Statewide aquifer maps Hydraulic properties Water quality Water use data Consumptive use data (2. 96) 1=no information n Least information n n n Quality monitoring network (2. 78) Ground water Flow models On-line data Recharge rates 3 -D aquifer maps/models Artificial recharge opportunities (1. 96) 5=met goal

Knowledge of Ground Water Availability

Most Important Data to Expand: Combined Response n Accurate Water Use Data n Water Quality for All Aquifers n n Hydraulic Properties of Major Aquifers Ground Water Recharge Rates

Most Important Data to Expand: Differences in Response n n State geologists highlighted the need to expand statewide aquifer mapping NGWA members highlighted the need for on-line aquifer data

Top 5 Desired Federal Actions n n Increase funding for cooperative ground water quantity data collection Increase funding for cooperative ground water quality data collection Increase funding for aquifer mapping Increase ground water availability research

Top 5 Desired Federal Actions n n (cont. ) State geologists’ #5: Fund public education and outreach on water conservation NGWA members’ #5: Develop a national ground water clearinghouse

Survey Conclusions n n n Most states are experiencing at least local shortages now. Most states have at least a reasonable estimate of the potential yield of major aquifers. Few states have met any goals in collecting any type of ground water data.

Survey Conclusions n n (cont. ) Priorities for collecting more data parallel types of data already being collected, perhaps because goals are not met. Cooperative federal and state programs for ground water data collection favored

Subcommittee on Water Availability and Quality n n Report released early 2005 Questions posed to NGWA

Questions Posed to NGWA • • • What information needs does longterm ground water quality and quantity monitoring address? What are the long-term ground water monitoring needs? What should the federal role be as regards long-term quality and quantity ground water monitoring?

Questions Posed to NGWA • • cont. How does the federal government integrate its role with private sector, local and state government monitoring efforts? What are the priority actions that the federal government should take relative to long-term quality and quantity ground water monitoring?

Why Undertake Long Term Ground Water Monitoring? n Assess the resource’s ability to support population growth and development n Help design and assess effectiveness of mgmt and protection programs n Identify short and long-term changes to ground water n Identify artificial ground water recharge opportunities

Why Undertake Long Term Ground Water Monitoring cont. n n n Assess ground water and surface water interactions Provide data for modeling Provide a more accurate estimate of actual ground water withdrawals

What Are the Long-Term Monitoring Needs? National ground water quality monitoring network National ground water level monitoring network

What Is the Federal Role? n Support a collaborative framework (Ground Water Monitoring Subcommittee under ACWI raised as possible framework) n Develop guidelines for data collection, quality control, storage and retrieval

What Is the Federal Role? n n cont. Provide federal funding for cooperative monitoring network development and operation Establish a national clearinghouse

How to Optimize and Leverage Resources? n n n Federal government is “glue” to hold collective efforts together States should develop state ground water availability and quality picture Private sector firms should perform exploratory drilling and install monitoring wells

What Should Federal Priorities Be? n n Federal funding of cooperative ground water quantity monitoring Federal funding of cooperative ground water quality monitoring

What Should Federal Priorities Be? cont. n Others n n Demonstrating a commitment to collaborative ground water quality and quantity data collection Ensuring the availability of quality data at appropriate scale Supporting research and development Promoting public education and outreach

Thank you! Robert Masters and David Wunsch National Ground Water Association 601 Dempsey Rd Westerville, OH 43081 800/551 -7379, ext. 560 614/898 -7786 fax rmasters@ngwa. org