Document Detail


Towards Sustainable Groundwater Use: Setting Long-Term Goals, Backcasting, and Managing Adaptively.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  21599658     Owner:  NLM     Status:  Publisher    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
The sustainability of crucial earth resources, such as groundwater, is a critical issue. We consider groundwater sustainability a value-driven process of intra- and intergenerational equity that balances the environment, society, and economy. Synthesizing hydrogeological science and current sustainability concepts, we emphasize three sustainability approaches: setting multigenerational sustainability goals, backcasting, and managing adaptively. As most aquifer problems are long-term problems, we propose that multigenerational goals (50 to 100 years) for water quantity and quality that acknowledge the connections between groundwater, surface water, and ecosystems be set for many aquifers. The goals should be set by a watershed- or aquifer-based community in an inclusive and participatory manner. Policies for shorter time horizons should be developed by backcasting, and measures implemented through adaptive management to achieve the long-term goals. Two case histories illustrate the importance and complexity of a multigenerational perspective and adaptive management. These approaches could transform aquifer depletion and contamination to more sustainable groundwater use, providing groundwater for current and future generations while protecting ecological integrity and resilience.
Authors:
Tom Gleeson; William M Alley; Diana M Allen; Marios A Sophocleous; Yangxiao Zhou; Makoto Taniguchi; Jonathan Vandersteen
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Publication Detail:
Type:  JOURNAL ARTICLE     Date:  2011-5-20
Journal Detail:
Title:  Ground water     Volume:  -     ISSN:  1745-6584     ISO Abbreviation:  -     Publication Date:  2011 May 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2011-5-23     Completed Date:  -     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  9882886     Medline TA:  Ground Water     Country:  -    
Other Details:
Languages:  ENG     Pagination:  -     Citation Subset:  -    
Copyright Information:
© 2011, The Author(s). Ground Water © 2011, National Ground Water Association.
Affiliation:
U.S. Geological Survey, 411 National Center, Reston, VA 20192. Department of Earth Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 7239 TASC I Building, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada. Kansas Geological Survey, University of Kansas, 1930 Constant Ave., Lawrence, KS 66047. Water Engineering Department, UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education, Westvest 7, P.O. Box 3015, 2601 DA Delft, Netherlands. Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, 335 Takashima-cho, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 602-0878, Japan. School of Engineering, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada.
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