8 SEPTEMBER 2021 WorldWide Drilling Resource® Register Today! 2021 NDA Convention September 28-29 Embassy Suites by Hilton CharlotteConcord Golf Resort & Spa, North Carolina For more information, call 877-632-4748 or visit nda4u.com Keynote Speaker - Richie Parker Grouting for Offshore Wind Farms The Hard Lessons of a Workplace Tragedy The Operational Limits of Measuring While Drilling for Geotechnical Site Characterization Drilling Aspects of the TDEC Order Project Underground Utilities: Increasing Safety Through Better Understanding of Utility Locating Practices and Geophysical Methods Growing Your Business by Adding CPT Don’t Kill Your Golden Goose - Protect & Perpetuate Your Business Presentations include: Golf Outing President’s Dinner Awards and Entertainment Exhibits and More! Come join the fun! Environmental Monitoring by Thomas Kwader, Ph.D., P.G. Owner, Qwater Well Developer and WorldWide Drilling Resource® Hydrogeologist Are We Running Out of Groundwater? This is a difficult question to answer. In many cases, we are running out of good quality, clear surface water (lakes, rivers, and streams) and groundwater. Groundwater has historically been plentiful, easy to tap, and a reliable source of potable water. The need or demand for groundwater is constantly growing, including water for drinking, irrigation, manufacturing, cooling, etc. As we pump more water out of the ground and lower the local water tables, we also impact the surface water bodies by reducing flows into streams, rivers, lakes, and ponds. Groundwater is often the ”preferred” source of water for drinking and water supply because of its low turbidity, consistently good quality, constant temperature, and availability. Groundwater levels tend to decline when rainfall or snowmelt are “less than normal amounts”. We are seeing many reservoirs and lakes reaching historic low levels, especially in the western United States. Some of the contributing factors include lower annual rainfall and snowmelt amounts. However, overpumping from lakes, rivers, and wells are also clearly a major factor. Increase in population increases pumping rates, which in turn lowers water levels. Since it is unlikely we will be seeing large population declines, we need to evaluate how we maximize the use of groundwater and surface waters. Climate changes also contribute to increased evaporation, forest fires, etc. We have made great strides in how we irrigate plants and crops, one of the highest users of all sources of surface and groundwaters. More progress needs to be made in this area with “smart” technologies that adjust water consumption to optimum needs of plants and crops. Also, we need to evaluate and implement injection of excess stormwater into our declining aquifers to reverse the decline of our stressed aquifers wherever conditions are favorable. We must use our groundwater resources wisely to extend their availability for use “well” beyond this generation. Tom Tom Kwader may be contacted via e-mail to michele@worldwidedrillingresource.com
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