PUB00012

• Year: 1999
• Title: Sustainability of Ground-Water Resources: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1186
• CWCB Section: Interstate & Federal
• Author: William M. Alley, Thomas E. Reilly, O. Lehn Franke
• Description: Illustration of the hydrologic, geologic, and ecological concepts to assure wise and sustainable use of ground-water resources
• Publications - Doc Type: Historical

THE PRIORITIES FOR GROUND-WATER MANAGEMENT

. SUSTAINABLE LONG-TERM YIELDS FROM
AQUIFERS

. EFFECTIVE USE OF THE LARGE VOLUME
OF WATER STORED IN AQUIFERS

. PRESERVATION OF GROUND-WATER
QUALITY

. PRESERVATION OF THE AQUATIC
ENVIRONMENT BY PRUDENT
ABSTRACTION OF GROUND WATER

. INTEGRATION OF GROUND WATER AND
SURFACE WATER INTO A COMPREHEN-
SIVE WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

TO PROTECT A PRICELESS NATIONAL ASSET

Figure 3. Vision statement of priorities for ground-water management in the United Kingdom. (Modified
from Downing, 1998.)

Perhaps the most important attribute of the
concept of ground-water sustainability is that it
fosters a long-term perspective to management of
ground-water resources. Several factors reinforce
the need for a long-term perspective. First, ground
water is not a nonrenewable resource, such as a
mineral or petroleum deposit, nor is it completely
renewable in the same manner and timeframe
as solar energy. Recharge of ground water from
precipitation continually replenishes the ground-
water resource but may do so at much smaller
rates than the rates of ground-water withdrawals.
Second, ground-water development may take
place over many years; thus, the effects of both
current and future development must be consid-
ered in any water-management strategy. Third,

the effects of ground-water pumping tend to
manifest themselves slowly over time. For
example, the full effects of pumping on surface-
water resources may not be evident for many
years after pumping begins. Finally, losses from
ground-water storage must be placed in the
context of the period over which sustainability
needs to be achieved. Ground-water withdrawals
and replenishment by recharge usually are vari-
able both seasonally and from year to year.
Viewing the ground-water system through time,
a long-term approach to sustain ability may
involve frequent temporary withdrawals from
ground-water storage that are balanced by inter-
vening additions to ground-water storage.

Ground water is not a nonrenewable resource,
such as a mineral or petroleum deposit,
nor is it completely renewable in the same
manner and timeframe as solar energy.

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