Value of Ground Water Monitoring

The value of measuring the status of the ground water resource conditon for the purpose of reducing uncertainty associated with risk to human welfare and ecosystem sustainability from changes in ground water levels and quality is an important policy issue as the resource is stressed by use and contamination.  The worth of ground water monitoring can be expressed in an economics framework.  Ranges of the value of the ground water monitoring can be expressed through health and ecosystems losses avoided and compared to the economic worth of the resource.  The data derived from monitoring reduces uncertainty in decision making and has value to decision makers in managing the resource.  Economic concepts and particular examples will be provided.