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?