New Report Examines Groundwater Management on the High Plains

Alexandria, Va. — The High Plains/Ogallala Aquifer (HPA), which offers a compelling yet complex illustration of how geoscience vitally intersects society, is the subject of a new report from the American Geosciences Institute. This report outlines the findings of the 2016 Critical Issues Forum, which examined state approaches to the HPA’s regional groundwater challenges.

Held October 27-28, 2016, at the Payne Institute for Earth Resources at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado, the one-and-a-half-day Forum brought together a wide range of scientists and decision-makers from across the U.S. to identify lessons and best practices for groundwater management. Forum participants addressed the scientific and social issues inherent in groundwater management efforts throughout the eight HPA states through engaging presentations, panels, and breakout sessions.

Videos of Forum presentations are available at https://www.americangeosciences.org/policy/ci-forum-2016/presentations.

The summary report of the Forum, written by EARTH Magazine News Editor Timothy Oleson with contributions from additional AGI staff, is now available for purchase at https://store.americangeosciences.org/reports.html. A free PDF version of the report is also available at https://www.americangeosciences.org/policy/ci-forum-2016/final-report.

Also of interest — In May 2017, EARTH interviewed Merri Lisa Trigilio, one of the Forum’s invited keynote speakers. Trigilio is the producer and director of “Written on Water,” a documentary film that showcases High Plains communities and their intimate relationship with the land and the groundwater beneath it. Read her interview at https://www.earthmagazine.org/article/geomedia-gem-ry