WSU/UI Geological Sciences Seminar Series Presents
About the event
Abstract: Evaluating well records, water level data, groundwater geochemistry data, and groundwater model outputs indicates that most irrigation and municipal water supply wells in the Columbia Basin pumping fossil groundwater, water levels are declining, and that water levels will continue to decline into the foreseeable future if something like current pumping trends are maintained. Reasons for these declines are interpreted to be directly tied to: (1) the general lack of significant, (2) where recharge is present, pumping rates exceed recharge rates, and (3) vertical and lateral hydrologic boundaries. Municipalities, irrigators, and industry are exploring several types of long-term solutions to replace the current groundwater mining scenarios with those which are more sustainable, including surface water supplies, aquifer storage, and reuse/reclamation.
Webster Physical Sciences Building, Room 11
Thursday, October 4
4-5 p.m.