Historically, readily available groundwater resources have been used and abused. Deep rock aquifers around the country and throughout the world have been over pumped. Aquifers that have taken millions of years to be filled with water as a result of natural recharge have been depleted to a point of concern in 100 years or less. As a result, the shallow aquifer systems are beginning to be looked at to supply future needs.

Deep rock aquifers have a huge storage capacity and very slow recharge rates. These aquifers have been mismanaged and the storage has been depleted to dangerous levels. Although shallow-aquifer systems have significantly higher recharge rates, their storage capacity is relatively low leaving them very susceptible to mismanagement.

SUSTAINABILITY

The concept of groundwater sustainability is very simple. To sustain a ground water resource the water used has to be replaced. The replacement rate should equal the use rate so that the water in storage is not affected. Although the concept is simple, putting the concept in practice is more difficult and not without sacrifice and associated costs. A sustainable groundwater management program must have the following priorities:

• Sustainable Long-Term Well Yields


• Preservation of Water Quality


• Maintenance of Stream and River Flow


• Prevent Subsidence


• Control Saltwater intrusion


• Preservation of Aquatic Environments

KOT ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTING, INC. (KOT-ECI) has developed techniques to make a preliminary evaluation of the sustainability of a regional shallow aquifer system by estimating the magnitude of the components of a general system water budget where the groundwater storage is equal to the groundwater inflows minus the ground water outflows. Water budget components include:

Storage Capacity Groundwater Seepage (Interflow to and from Bedrock) Groundwater Through-Flow Discharge Recharge Consumption Septic Loading (if significant) DEFINE

KOT-ECI can assist municipalities and other public water suppliers with developing a groundwater resource management plan that is geared to sustainability and strikes a balance of groundwater pumping and land use with maintaining groundwater quantity and quality.

WATER QUANTITY

The key to sustainability is to maintain the quantity or water required for domestic, recreational, commercial, and industrial needs. Rural areas are the only areas where natural recharge may be sufficient to balance groundwater use. Any urban area or area undergoing urbanization cannot rely on natural recharge to balance its needs and must rely on artificial means to augment natural recharge.

Regional recharge areas need to be identified so that the recharge capacity can be estimated and critical recharge areas can be protected from development. DEFINE Establishing the recharge areas and estimating the regional recharge capacity must be established so that a determination can be made as to the quantity of additional water required through the use of artificial recharge techniques.

Once the groundwater system has been defined, the water budget conditions estimated, and water conservation practices instituted, addition water requirement needs will be met by means of artificial recharge. KOT-ECI has designed several artificial recharge systems employing various techniques. Most cost effective are recharge systems that redirect runoff to retention basins fitted with infiltration galleries. KOT-ECI also has experience using Class V injection wells, inter-aquifer recharge, and groundwater storage/recovery to augment natural recharge.

WATER QUALITY

KOT-ECI has wide-ranging experience in assisting clients in preparing and implementing strategies and programs that protect the quality of groundwater. This experience includes providing guidance in the preparation of wellhead protection programs as well as conducting groundwater remediation tasks, if necessary.

Wellhead Protection Program
The Wellhead Protection (WHP) Program, established in the 1986 amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), is the first program to protect public water supplies through land management. Unlike prior federal programs, which had focused on individual contaminant sources, this program approaches the assessment and management of groundwater quality from a resource-based perspective. The SDWA requires the governor of each state to create a Wellhead Protection (WHP) Program, which "protects wellhead areas within their jurisdiction from contaminants which may have any adverse effect on the health of persons."
KOT-ECI has extensive experience in assisting municipalities, local communities and operators of public water supply systems develop operational approaches consistent with state requirements. Elements required by the states for a good WHP Program include the following:

• Duties of state and local agencies and public water supply systems in implementing the program


• Determination of Well Head Protection Areas for each public well or well field DEFINE
• Identification of all potential contamination sources within the defined protection area


• A program that contains, as appropriate:


• technical assistance,


• financial assistance,


• implementation of control measures,


• education,


• training, and,


• demonstration projects to protect wellhead areas from contaminants


• Contingency plans for alternative water supplies in cases of contamination


• Siting considerations for all new wells


• Public participation.

KOT-ECI has over 35 years experience in designing and implementing groundwater remediation projects. This experience also includes providing project third-party oversight and expert witness testimony. Design and implementation experience includes: