Collaboration Is Key to Successful Implementation of the National Ground Water Monitoring Network

Reliable, accurate, and sustained groundwater monitoring is more important than ever. Groundwater resources are under new pressures because of increased energy demand, a focus on stream and wetland ecosystem health, and the impacts of climate variability and change. As these pressures increase, such legislation as the SECURE Water Act, which authorizes the National Groundwater Monitoring Network (NGWMN), offers hope that the federal government will provide the support needed. However, the tough economic conditions and federal budgeting problems have so far severely limited the appropriation of federal funds for the Network. In addition, many states report similar budgeting-related problems in securing funding for groundwater monitoring resources. Thus, it is even more important now than ever to leverage existing monitoring programs that are expected to receive ongoing support, while also exploring innovative means and methods that are anticipated to yield improvements in data-yield and cost-effectiveness.

Multiple examples will demonstrate the collaboration-focused efforts involved in the implementation of the NGWMN, which is being led by the federal Advisory Committee on Water Information (ACWI) Subcommittee on Ground Water (SOGW). The NGWMN is a collaborative effort among federal, tribal, state, nongovernmental organizations, private industry, and academia volunteers. The collaboration examples will focus on (1) inclusion of states in which prior collaboration between state agencies and the USGS has facilitated joining the NGWMN; (2) exploration of collaboration between USEPA Regional Laboratories and state data-providers for the labs to test samples sent by participating states; (3) discussions with other federal agencies that maintain monitoring networks whose objectives and designs align nicely with the NGWMN; and (4) consideration of promising technologies from ongoing R&D and proof-of-concept testing that have been identified through SOGW and other ACWI subcommittee initiatives. Input from conference participants will be encouraged, to enhance the collaborative efforts already underway.