State Groundwater Management and Policy: A Two-State Scientific Perspective
For many years, a number of southeastern states have been moving from water policy based on English common law riparian doctrine to various forms of regulated water management and policy. More recently, Georgia has been transitioning to a more regulated system and now Alabama has initiated this process. Both states are basing water management and policy decisions on scientific data collected specifically for water management and policy development. Comprehensive hydrogeologic assessments for groundwater management are providing needed knowledge of these complex subsurface systems and the impacts of water supply development on groundwater sources. Significant challenges lie ahead for both states as they implement water management plans. This panel provides a discussion of groundwater management from the scientific perspective and explores issues and challenges facing two southeastern states in the process of groundwater policy development.