Concepts for Ground-Water Regulatory District

With more use of ground water, greater attention must be given to the environmental side of well field design. Where serious environmental problems, such as lowered lake levels, are a result of overpumping from particular areas, then regulations will be called for by the public being damaged. Civil engineers can expect to become more involved in data collection and scientific justification that is required for the formation and operation of special districts to devise and administer these regulations. Competition among political units in highly urbanized areas for water will need a combination of technical-political knowledge to bring about acceptable compromises, and to protect the available water resources. This paper presents some tested, successful ideas for the use of civil engineers who may be confronted with the formation and operation of such a district.