• PCAST met to discuss groundwater issues and recommendations.
• NGWA’s July response influenced PCAST’s proposals.
• Federal actions proposed to support groundwater sustainability.

November 5, 2024 — The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) convened in Washington D.C. on November 1 to evaluate “America’s Groundwater Challenges” and offer recommendations for addressing them. A series of public gatherings nationwide and responses to comment requests informed the meeting.  Comments included input from the National Ground Water Association (NGWA) submitted in July.

Federal Role in Groundwater Management.

PCAST acknowledged the federal government’s limited role in managing groundwater, which is primarily overseen by state and local entities. However, the council focused on actions the federal government could take to support efforts in ensuring groundwater sufficiency and quality, which is vital for national water supply security and food production.

Key Questions and Recommendations.

Public meetings highlighted that the general populace is under-informed about groundwater issues, local challenges, and workforce shortages. There is also a noted lack of groundwater data and difficulties at the local level in accessing and utilizing this information.

PCAST centered its discussion around three main questions:

• How can the federal government help state and local water managers?
• What research is needed to safeguard water security and sustainability?
• What incentives can the federal government provide to address groundwater quality and availability challenges?

Based on these questions, PCAST made the following recommendations:

1. Establish an Interagency Group on Groundwater Security and Sustainability: Led by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), this group would develop tools to sustainably manage groundwater and mitigate depletion.
2. Advance Groundwater Research Programs: Promote technology and strategies for comprehensive research, including increasing managed aquifer recharge (MAR) and exploring links between water and food security.
3. Create Groundwater Engagement Hubs: Establish federal incentives for a network of local hubs where people can access information on groundwater and support sustainable planning and decision-making, with a critical need identified for tribal nations.
4. Provide Competitive Grants: Offer grants to encourage planning, sustainable management, and restoration of aquifers and recharge opportunities.
5. Enhance Groundwater Workforce Development: Initiate efforts to recruit, develop, and retain a skilled workforce in various aspects of groundwater management and use.

All five recommendations align with comments NGWA submitted to the advisory council in July.

The PCAST report is expected to be available later in November when it is delivered to President Joe Biden.

NGWA’s July 1, 2024, Response Addressing “America’s Groundwater Challenges.”

In its July response, NGWA emphasized the significant opportunity to raise awareness about the role of groundwater in climate adaptation and the actions needed for a sustainable and resilient water supply future. They highlighted that while safeguarding groundwater is a global challenge, effective management solutions are primarily found at the local and aquifer or groundwater basin level due to the variability in aquifer characteristics across the country.

Key points from NGWA’s response include:

• Individualized Attention: Aquifers require specific management strategies tailored to their unique geology, climate, land use, and water demands. States should develop and implement regulations to ensure best practices for management and monitoring.
• Stakeholder Participation: Effective groundwater management requires active involvement from users and stakeholders in planning, decision-making, and implementation processes.
• Quality Concerns: The quality of groundwater affects its availability. Emerging and legacy contaminants, such as PFAS, nitrates, and arsenic, present ongoing challenges to safe groundwater supply and use.
• Conjunctive Management: Managing groundwater and surface water together can lead to significant improvements, including using surface water during wet periods for supply and groundwater replenishment.
• Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR): There is considerable attention on MAR practices to purposefully recharge aquifers for later recovery, utilizing various water sources like stormwater and treated wastewater.
• Data Collection and Analysis: Essential for effective management, with the National Ground-Water Monitoring Network (NGWMN) playing a crucial role in providing groundwater data.
• One-Water Approach: Viewing all water sources—groundwater, surface water, wastewater, and stormwater—as a single resource to protect human health and vital environmental systems.

NGWA also addressed specific questions on enhancing data collection, modeling changes in groundwater resources, scaling groundwater recharge, ensuring clean and safe groundwater, engaging communities, and implementing strategies to limit over-use. They advocated for increased investment in monitoring networks, development of best practices, and federal support to assist state and local agencies in achieving sustainable groundwater management.

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