Ozark Plateaus Groundwater Availability Study Benefits

Why is this important?

While the overall amount of groundwater withdrawals in the Ozarks are relatively small compared to other areas of the Nation, the impacts of too little groundwater can be felt by over 2 million people who rely on groundwater as a drinking source in the Ozarks. Recent droughts in the area increased this awareness as water purveyors anxiously monitored dropping water levels. Population growth in the area means more water is needed to sustain the new population. Increased groundwater withdrawals can result in:

1. Groundwater level declines (resulting in higher cost of deepening wells or lowering pumps, or depletion of a local area of an aquifer)
2. Movement of high salinity water into fresh water areas (resulting in need for water treatment or search for alternative water supply)
3. Changes in streamflow and spring flow (resulting in stresses on aquatic habitat or recreational areas)

The benefits of an updated regional analysis of the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system include:

Application of current methods and software: Recent improvements in MODFLOW allow for better representation of wells penetrating multiple aquifers, surface-water bodies and routing of streamflow, movement of high salinity water, and large water table fluctuations

• Improved estimates of groundwater recharge: Multiple tools, such as the Soil-Water-Balance (SWB) code are available for estimating variations in net groundwater recharge both spatially and temporally.
• Examining potential impact of climate variability and water use demands on groundwater availability: Climate change and its potential impacts on aquifer recharge and discharge are not well understood within the Ozark system. With an updated tool, these processes can be simulated to evaluate potential future conditions with regard to groundwater sustainability.
• Updated estimates of water use: One purpose of the study is to determine the current water needs for water for human consumption (directly or indirectly). A potential outcome of this work is an updated estimate of regional water use in the Ozark area.
• Groundwater monitoring network: Methods are available to utilize groundwater-flow models as a tool to evaluate well suitability for use in a monitoring network. With the development of an updated regional groundwater-flow model of the Ozarks, these methods can be employed to suggest priority wells for placement in a National groundwater monitoring network.