Site Assessment: Effects of Demand and Land Use on Groundwater Resources
Groundwater resource managers and decision makers are being called upon to meet increasing water quality and production demands from municipal, industrial, and agricultural users. Regardless of region, water supply and water quality are affected by many common site characteristics and land use patterns. Common well problems exist due to well design, overuse, and intermittent usage patterns. Site assessment and water monitoring can be valuable tools to identify changes. Knowledge of some interrelationships between land use and its effect on groundwater and surface water interactions, and its impacts on aquifer recharge, may assist water managers in anticipating stressors and demands on their water systems. Case studies from Utah and Illinois will highlight commonalities induced by well location, well usage, and land uses related to agriculture and urbanization.
Water Systems Engineering Inc., Ottawa, KS