Groundwater Policy and Governance
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Evaluating Vapor Intrusion Pathways
Evaluating Vapor Intrusion Pathways Guidance for ATSDR’s Division of Community Health Investigations October 31, 2016 Contents Acronym List ........................................................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................................... 2 What are the potential health risks from the vapor intrusion pathway? ............................................................................... 2 When should a vapor intrusion pathway be evaluated? ........................................................................................................ 3 Why is it so difficult to assess the public health hazard posed by the vapor intrusion pathway? .......................................... 3 What is the best approach for a public health evaluation of the vapor intrusion pathway? ................................................. 5 Public health evaluation.......................................................................................................................................................... 5 Vapor intrusion evaluation process outline ............................................................................................................................ 8 References… …...................................................................................................................................................................... -
The Federal Role in Groundwater Supply
The Federal Role in Groundwater Supply Updated May 22, 2020 Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov R45259 The Federal Role in Groundwater Supply Summary Groundwater, the water in aquifers accessible by wells, is a critical component of the U.S. water supply. It is important for both domestic and agricultural water needs, among other uses. Nearly half of the nation’s population uses groundwater to meet daily needs; in 2015, about 149 million people (46% of the nation’s population) relied on groundwater for their domestic indoor and outdoor water supply. The greatest volume of groundwater used every day is for agriculture, specifically for irrigation. In 2015, irrigation accounted for 69% of the total fresh groundwater withdrawals in the United States. For that year, California pumped the most groundwater for irrigation, followed by Arkansas, Nebraska, Idaho, Texas, and Kansas, in that order. Groundwater also is used as a supply for mining, oil and gas development, industrial processes, livestock, and thermoelectric power, among other uses. Congress generally has deferred management of U.S. groundwater resources to the states, and there is little indication that this practice will change. Congress, various states, and other stakeholders recently have focused on the potential for using surface water to recharge aquifers and the ability to recover stored groundwater when needed. Some see aquifer recharge, storage, and recovery as a replacement or complement to surface water reservoirs, and there is interest in how federal agencies can support these efforts. In the congressional context, there is interest in the potential for federal policies to facilitate state, local, and private groundwater management efforts (e.g., management of federal reservoir releases to allow for groundwater recharge by local utilities). -
Using the Water Quality Index (WQI), and the Synthetic Pollution Index
Sains Malaysiana 49(10)(2020): 2383-2401 http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2020-4910-05 Using the Water Quality Index (WQI), and the Synthetic Pollution Index (SPI) to Evaluate the Groundwater Quality for Drinking Purpose in Hailun, China (Penggunaan Indeks Kualiti Air (WQI) dan Indeks Pencemaran Sintetik (SPI) untuk Menilai Kualiti Air Bawah Tanah untuk Tujuan Minuman di Hailun, China) TIAN HUI*, DU JIZHONG, SUN QIFA, LIU QIANG, KANG ZHUANG & JIN HONGTAO ABSTRACT Due to the impact of human agricultural production, climate and environmental changes. The applicability of groundwater for drinking purposes has attracted widespread attention. In order to quantify the hydrochemical characteristics of groundwater in Hailun and evaluate its suitability for assessing water for drinking purposes, 77 shallow groundwater samples and 57 deep groundwater samples were collected and analyzed. The results show that deep groundwater in - aquifers in the study area is weakly alkaline, while that in shallow is acidic. The abundance is in the order HCO3 > - 2- 2+ + 2+ Cl > SO4 for anions, and Ca > Na > Mg for cations. Groundwater chemical type were dominated by HCO3-Ca, HCO3-Ca• Mg, and HCO3-Ca• Na. Correlation analysis (CA) and Durov diagram showed that rock weathering and dissolution, human activities, and the hydraulic connection between shallow and deep water are the main reasons affecting the chemical composition of water in Helen. The analysis of water samples based on the WQI model showed that about 23.37, 23.37, 32.46, 12.98, and 7.79% of the shallow groundwater samples were excellent, good, poor, very poor, and unsuitable for drinking purposes, respectively, and that 61.40, 30.90, 5.26, 1.75, and 1.75% of the deep groundwater samples were excellent, good, poor, very poor, and unsuitable for drinking purposes, respectively. -
Controlling Groundwater Pollution from Petroleum Products Leaks
Environmental Toxicology III 91 Controlling groundwater pollution from petroleum products leaks M. S. Al-Suwaiyan Civil Engineering Department, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Saudi Arabia Abstract Groundwater is the main source of potable water in many communities. This source is susceptible to pollution by toxic organic compounds resulting from the accidental release of petroleum products. A petroleum product like gasoline is a mixture of many organic compounds that are toxic at different degrees to humans. These various compounds have different characteristics that influence the spread and distribution of plumes of the various dissolved toxins. A compositional model utilizing properties of organics and soil was developed and used to study the concentration of benzene, toluene and xylene (BTX) in leachate from a hypothetical site contaminated by BTX. Modeling indicated the high and variable concentration of contaminants in leachate and its action as a continuous source of groundwater pollution. In a recent study, the status of underground fuel storage tanks in eastern Saudi Arabia and the potential for petroleum leaks was evaluated indicating the high potential for aquifer pollution. As a result of such discussion, it is concluded that more effort should be directed to promote leak prevention through developing proper design regulations and installation guidelines for new and existing service stations. Keywords: groundwater pollution, petroleum products, dissolved contaminants, modelling contaminant transport. 1 Introduction Water covers about 73% of our planet with a huge volume of 1.4 billion cubic kilometers most of which is saline. According to the water encyclopedia [1], only about 3-4% of the total water is fresh. -
Groundwater Overdraft, Electricity, and Wrong Incentives : Evidence from Mexico
Groundwater Overdraft, Electricity, and Wrong Incentives : Evidence from Mexico Vincente Ruiz WP 2016.05 Suggested citation: V. Ruiz (2016). Groundwater Overdraft, Electricity, and Wrong Incentives : Evidence from Mexico. FAERE Working Paper, 2016.05. ISSN number: 2274-5556 www.faere.fr Groundwater Overdraft, Electricity, and Wrong Incentives: Evidence from Mexico by Vicente Ruiz⇤ Last version: January 2016 Abstract Groundwater overdraft is threatening the sustainability of an increasing number of aquifers in Mexico. The excessive amount of groundwater ex- tracted by irrigation farming has significantly contributed to this problem. The objective of this paper is to analyse the effect of changes in ground- water price over the allocation of different production inputs. I model the technology of producers facing groundwater overdraft through a Translog cost function and using a combination of multiple micro-data sources. My results show that groundwater demand is inelastic, -0.54. Moreover, these results also show that both labour and fertiliser can act as substitutes for groundwater, further reacting to changes in groundwater price. JEL codes:Q12,Q25 Key words: Groundwater, Electricity, Subsidies, Mexico, Translog Cost ⇤Université Paris 1 - Panthéon Sorbonne, Paris School of Economics (PSE). Centre d’Économie de la Sorbonne, 106-112 Boulevard de l’Hopital, 75647, Paris Cedex 13, France. Email: [email protected] Introduction The high rate of groundwater extraction in Mexico is threatening the sustainability of an increasing number of aquifers in the country. Today in Mexico 1 out of 6aquifersisconsideredtobeoverexploited(CONAGUA, 2010). Groundwater overdraft is not only an important cause of major environmental problems, but it also has a direct impact on economic activities and the wellbeing of a high share of the population. -
Reference: Groundwater Quality and Groundwater Pollution
PUBLICATION 8084 FWQP REFERENCE SHEET 11.2 Reference: Groundwater Quality and Groundwater Pollution THOMAS HARTER is UC Cooperative Extension Hydrogeology Specialist, University of California, Davis, and Kearney Agricultural Center. roundwater quality comprises the physical, chemical, and biological qualities of UNIVERSITY OF G ground water. Temperature, turbidity, color, taste, and odor make up the list of physi- CALIFORNIA cal water quality parameters. Since most ground water is colorless, odorless, and Division of Agriculture without specific taste, we are typically most concerned with its chemical and biologi- and Natural Resources cal qualities. Although spring water or groundwater products are often sold as “pure,” http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu their water quality is different from that of pure water. In partnership with Naturally, ground water contains mineral ions. These ions slowly dissolve from soil particles, sediments, and rocks as the water travels along mineral surfaces in the pores or fractures of the unsaturated zone and the aquifer. They are referred to as dis- solved solids. Some dissolved solids may have originated in the precipitation water or river water that recharges the aquifer. A list of the dissolved solids in any water is long, but it can be divided into three groups: major constituents, minor constituents, and trace elements (Table 1). The http://www.nrcs.usda.gov total mass of dissolved constituents is referred to as the total dissolved solids (TDS) concentration. In water, all of the dissolved solids are either positively charged ions Farm Water (cations) or negatively charged ions (anions). The total negative charge of the anions always equals the total positive charge of the cations. -
Potential Groundwater Recharge for the State of Minnesota Using the Soil-Water-Balance Model, 1996–2010
Prepared in cooperation with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Potential Groundwater Recharge for the State of Minnesota Using the Soil-Water-Balance Model, 1996–2010 Scientific Investigations Report 2015–5038 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Cover. Map showing mean annual potential recharge rates from 1996−2010 based on results from the Soil-Water-Balance model for Minnesota. Potential Groundwater Recharge for the State of Minnesota Using the Soil-Water- Balance Model, 1996–2010 By Erik A. Smith and Stephen M. Westenbroek Prepared in cooperation with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Scientific Investigations Report 2015–5038 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior SALLY JEWELL, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey Suzette M. Kimball, Acting Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2015 For more information on the USGS—the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment—visit http://www.usgs.gov or call 1–888–ASK–USGS. For an overview of USGS information products, including maps, imagery, and publications, visit http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod/. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Although this information product, for the most part, is in the public domain, it also may contain copyrighted materials as noted in the text. Permission to reproduce copyrighted items must be secured from the copyright owner. Suggested citation: Smith, E.A., and Westenbroek, S.M., 2015, Potential groundwater recharge for the State of Minnesota using the Soil-Water-Balance model, 1996–2010: U.S. -
Evaluation of Groundwater Pollution in a Mining Area Using Analytical Solution: a Case Study of the Yimin Open‑Pit Mine in China
View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Springer - Publisher Connector Li et al. SpringerPlus (2016) 5:392 DOI 10.1186/s40064-016-2023-x CASE STUDY Open Access Evaluation of groundwater pollution in a mining area using analytical solution: a case study of the Yimin open‑pit mine in China Tianxin Li1, Li Li1, Hongqing Song1*, Linglong Meng1, Shuli Zhang2 and Gang Huang1 *Correspondence: [email protected] Abstract 1 School of Civil Introduction: This study focused on using analytical and numerical models to and Environmental Engineering, University develop and manage groundwater resources, and predict the effects of management of Science and Technology measurements in the groundwater system. Movement of contaminants can be studied Beijing, Beijing, China based on groundwater flow characteristics. This study can be used for prediction of ion Full list of author information is available at the end of the concentration and evaluation of groundwater pollution as the theoretical basis. article Case description: The Yimin open-pit mine is located in the northern part of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China. High concentrations of iron and manganese are observed in Yimin open-pit mine because of exploitation and pumping that have increased the concentration of the ions in groundwater. In this study, iron was consid- ered as an index of contamination, and the solute model was calibrated using concen- tration observations from 14 wells in 2014. Discussion and evaluation: The groundwater flow model and analytical solutions were used in this study to forecast pollution concentration and variation trend after cal- ibration. -
Freshwater Resources
3 Freshwater Resources Coordinating Lead Authors: Blanca E. Jiménez Cisneros (Mexico), Taikan Oki (Japan) Lead Authors: Nigel W. Arnell (UK), Gerardo Benito (Spain), J. Graham Cogley (Canada), Petra Döll (Germany), Tong Jiang (China), Shadrack S. Mwakalila (Tanzania) Contributing Authors: Thomas Fischer (Germany), Dieter Gerten (Germany), Regine Hock (Canada), Shinjiro Kanae (Japan), Xixi Lu (Singapore), Luis José Mata (Venezuela), Claudia Pahl-Wostl (Germany), Kenneth M. Strzepek (USA), Buda Su (China), B. van den Hurk (Netherlands) Review Editor: Zbigniew Kundzewicz (Poland) Volunteer Chapter Scientist: Asako Nishijima (Japan) This chapter should be cited as: Jiménez Cisneros , B.E., T. Oki, N.W. Arnell, G. Benito, J.G. Cogley, P. Döll, T. Jiang, and S.S. Mwakalila, 2014: Freshwater resources. In: Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability. Part A: Global and Sectoral Aspects. Contribution of Working Group II to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Field, C.B., V.R. Barros, D.J. Dokken, K.J. Mach, M.D. Mastrandrea, T.E. Bilir, M. Chatterjee, K.L. Ebi, Y.O. Estrada, R.C. Genova, B. Girma, E.S. Kissel, A.N. Levy, S. MacCracken, P.R. Mastrandrea, and L.L. White (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA, pp. 229-269. 229 Table of Contents Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................................................ 232 3.1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................... -
Assessing Groundwater Irrigation Sustainability in the Euro-Mediterranean Region with an Integrated Agro-Hydrologic Model
19th EMS Annual Meeting: European Conference for Applied Meteorology and Climatology 2019 Adv. Sci. Res., 17, 227–253, 2020 https://doi.org/10.5194/asr-17-227-2020 © Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. Assessing groundwater irrigation sustainability in the Euro-Mediterranean region with an integrated agro-hydrologic model Emiliano Gelati1,a, Zuzanna Zajac1, Andrej Ceglar1, Simona Bassu1, Bernard Bisselink1, Marko Adamovic1, Jeroen Bernhard2, Anna Malagó1, Marco Pastori1, Fayçal Bouraoui1, and Ad de Roo1,2 1European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy 2Department of Physical Geography, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands anow at: Department of Geosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway Correspondence: Emiliano Gelati ([email protected]) Received: 16 February 2020 – Revised: 27 July 2020 – Accepted: 21 September 2020 – Published: 31 October 2020 Abstract. We assess the sustainability of groundwater irrigation in the Euro-Mediterranean region. After analysing the available data on groundwater irrigation, we identify areas where irrigation causes groundwater depletion. To prevent the latter, we experiment with guidelines to restrict groundwater irrigation to sustainable levels, simulating beneficial and detrimental impacts in terms of improved environmental flow conditions and crop yield losses. To carry out these analyses, we apply the integrated model of water resources, irrigation and crop production LISFLOOD-EPIC. Crop growth is simulated accounting for atmospheric conditions and abiotic stress factors, including transpiration deficit. Four irrigation methods are modelled: drip, sprinkler, and intermit- tent and permanent flooding. Hydrologic and agricultural modules are dynamically coupled at the daily time scale through soil moisture, plant water uptake, and irrigation water abstraction and application. -
Groundwater Overdraft Reduction Through Agricultural
Water Resources Development, Vol. 20, No. 2, 149–164, June 2004 Groundwater Overdraft Reduction through Agricultural Energy Policy: Insights from India and Mexico CHRISTOPHER A. SCOTT* & TUSHAAR SHAH** *South Asia Regional Office, International Water Management Institute, Hyderabad, India **Sustainable Groundwater Management, International Water Management Institute, Anand, India ABSTRACT Rapid expansion of groundwater irrigation has transformed the rural economy in regions around the world, leading to significant increases in agricultural productivity and rising incomes. Farmer investment in wells and pumps has driven this expansion on the demand side; however, the supply of cheap agricultural energy—usu- ally electrical power—is a critical though often overlooked driver of the groundwater boom. One serious outcome in numerous regions around the world has been groundwa- Downloaded By: [University of Arizona] At: 21:56 10 September 2007 ter overdraft; where pumping exceeds aquifer recharge, water tables have declined and water quality has deteriorated. India and Mexico are two of the largest users of groundwater in the world and both face critical overdraft challenges. The two countries are compared, given that electrical energy supply and pricing are primary driving forces behind groundwater pumping for irrigation in India and Mexico alike. Both countries have attempted regulatory measures to reduce groundwater overdraft. However, with low energy costs and readily available connections, there are few financial disincentives for farmers to limit pumping. The linkages between energy and irrigation are reviewed, comparing and contrasting India and Mexico. Examples of legal, regulatory and participatory approaches to groundwater management are assessed. Finally, the implica- tions of linking electrical power pricing and supply with ongoing groundwater regu- lation efforts in both countries are explored. -
Law, Land Use, and Groundwater Recharge
Stanford Law Review Volume 73 May 2021 ARTICLE Law, Land Use, and Groundwater Recharge Dave Owen* Abstract. Groundwater is one of the world’s most important natural resources, and its importance will increase as climate change continues and the human population grows. But groundwater management has traditionally been governed by lax and uneven legal regimes. To the extent those regimes exist, they tend to focus on the extraction of groundwater rather than the processes—referred to as groundwater recharge—through which water enters the subsurface. Yet groundwater recharge is crucially important to the maintenance of groundwater supplies, and it is also highly susceptible to human influences, particularly through our pervasive manipulation of land uses. This Article discusses the underdeveloped law of groundwater recharge. It explains why groundwater-recharge law, or the lack thereof, is important; it discusses existing legal doctrines that affect groundwater recharge, occasionally by design but usually inadvertently; and it explains how more intentional and effective systems of groundwater-recharge law can be constructed. It also sets forth criteria for judging when regulation of groundwater recharge will make sense, and it argues that a communitarian ethic, rather than the currently prevalent laissez-faire approaches, should underpin those regulatory approaches. Finally, it suggests using regulatory fees as a key (but not exclusive) instrument of groundwater-recharge regulation. * Harry D. Sunderland Professor of Law, University of California, Hastings College of the Law. I thank Lauren Marshall, Schuyler Schwartz, and Michael Kelley for research assistance and Michael Kiparsky, Nell Green Nylen, Jim Salzman, and participants at the University of Arizona environmental law works-in-progress conference and the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation water law works-in-progress conference for helpful suggestions at early stages and comments on drafts, and the editors of the Stanford Law Review for excellent editorial assistance.