How will your groundwater resources fare in the future and how will that affect your business? How can we ensure the sustainability of our aquifers through sound science? How should groundwater contractors and scientists confront economic and political challenges affecting the resource that is pivotal to the success of their businesses? How is “sustainability” defined and what tools and strategies can be used to protect groundwater systems as well as those who obtain and develop it? What information must be gathered and compiled to build consensus and present a compelling case to regulators and policymakers?
Currently, there are states that manage aquifers by pumping to balance groundwater recharge, which can cause stream depletion. Others limit pumping to protect surface flows, which can have negative economic impacts. Yet still others manage aquifers for controlled depletion in recognition of the severe economic disruption that would occur from either stricter goals or a lack of any planning and management. In the United States, many western states manage aquifers to protect surface water rights, while others ignore the connection between surface water and groundwater. Some eastern states seek the use of a hybrid “regulated riparian” approach to balance the free use of water with a reasonable use standard. What are the impacts of these approaches to your local groundwater industry and the reliability of water resources in the future?
Regional examples from around the United States will be presented, and an emphasis will be given to the local conditions and issues of the McEllhiney Lecture host organization.
About the speaker
John Jansen, Ph.D., PG, is a principal and senior hydrogeologist for Cardno ENTRIX and works on a wide variety of groundwater projects around the country, specializing in high-capacity wells and groundwater resource management. Formerly a partner in a Denver-based water rights company and the chief geoscientist for an international drilling company, he has broad experience in well construction and maintenance, as well as water rights issues. Jansen holds three U.S. patents on water well-related technologies and is the lead author of the chapter on borehole geophysics in the third edition of Groundwater & Wells, published in 2007.
Come join us
Date: Tuesday, 2nd July 2013
Time: 5.30pm for 6pm start
Location: RMIT, Academic Building 80Rm 80.002.007 (located at 445 Swanston St, ground floor level on west side of Swanston St, turn right when you enter the doors).
No need to RSVP
