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Current Issue: Protection of Groundwater Through Urban, Agricultural and Environmental Planning
Access to clean and safe drinking water is essential to a healthy and thriving community. If a safe drinking water source is compromised or lost, there would be harmful consequences to human health, the environment, and the economy. These losses can be prevented or mitigated to protect current and future sources. Once groundwater is polluted, it will remain that way for decades. The potential for contamination and the high cost of treatment and expense of locating or developing alternate sources make it imperative for government entities to adopt and implement effective strategies for long-term protection. This is especially true for any area dependent on groundwater as its sole source for drinking water. more...
Learning Objectives
(the following learning objectives are under review and are subject to change)
HYDROLOGY AND CLIMATOLOGY
1. Explain the hydrologic relationship and the environmental benefits of groundwater and surface water.
2. How does global warming affect water supplies? Explain how this effect on water supplies impacts both groundwater and energy supplies.
WATER QUALITY AND QUANTITY
1. Know the two greatest users of fresh water in North America and explain why conjunctive use of groundwater and surface water is important to ground water management and optimizing supply.
2. Appraise the value of groundwater as a component to an integrated regional water management plan, and propose strategies to increase and replenish groundwater supplies.
3. Describe the sources of pollution to groundwater and evaluate strategies for cleanup or improving groundwater quality.
The WATER/ENERGY NEXUS
1. Assess the negative energy impact that is associated with desalination and explain why this is a major concern for the construction of desalination facilities for San Diego, CA.
2. Evaluate the impact of energy production on fresh water supplies. Compare and contrast the effect on groundwater resulting from increased production of energy from nuclear and fossil fueled power plants and from biofuels necessitated by a large increase in the use of electric cars including the direct effect on groundwater resulting from the production of biofuels from both algae and cultivated plants such as soy beans and switch grass.
3. Outline a management policy that will protect and manage groundwater resources for the needs of humans, the environment, the economy and energy production. Differentiate the different roles that government agencies will have in protecting and managing groundwater resources as well as how water use is regulated at the state/province and federal level.
LAND USE PLANNING AND ITS EFFECTS ON GROUNDWATER
1. Describe where groundwater depletion is occurring, the areas at risk in the future and explain how is groundwater depletion is directly related to energy use and water demand. Evaluate the impact of ground water depletion in the San Joaquin Valley watershed.
2. Analyze the impact of over pumping of groundwater and justify reasons why land use planning is necessary for groundwater management. Students should design, propose and justify management practices to achieve water conservation and water use efficiency as part of a groundwater management plan in both an urban and rural/agricultural watershed.
3. Identify the concept of conjunctive use management for groundwater basins and the integration of basin recharge programs to accommodate urban and agricultural overdraft challenges. Identify the advantages and disadvantages of instituting basin management programs.
2010 Resources
**It is important to focus on the following articles but any of the listed articles are fair game:
**These articles may be useful in planning your presentation:
Hydrology and Climatology (including Geohydrology)
In Hot Water: Water Management Strategies to Weather the Effects of Global Warming
Chapter 6 “Basic Ground Water Concepts”
Water Quality and Quantity
Compiling an Inventory of Possible Contaminating Activities for Source Areas & Protection Zones (pdf)
Water Pollution Control Legislation (pdf)
Groundwater Availability Detailed in California’s Central Valley
Occurrence and Distribution of Nitrate in Groundwater in the Central Valley (pdf)
Metropolitan Water Districts of Southern California (pdf)
Kern County Groundwater Banking Projects (pdf)
Land-Use Planning and Its Effect on Groundwater
Decision-Making Under Scientific Uncertainty (pdf)
California Water 2020, A Sustainable Vision
Evolving Issues and Practices in Managing Ground-Water Resources (pdf)
The Water-Energy Nexus
Energy and Water: Water, Energy, and Desalination (pdf)
Groundwater Salinity: A Groundwater Dilemma (pdf)
Glossary: A-Z Ground Water Vocabulary and Definitions
The California committee offers you the following supplemental resources to further expand your knowledge of the many water related topics and issues.
USGS Educational Resources For Secondary Grades Middle School and High School
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