The Importance of Groundwater

By: Ellen Batty, Alyssa Kiekover, Ashtyn Jennings, and Malachi Cox

“Thousands have lived without love, not one without water.” -H. Auden

What is groundwater?

Groundwater is water that is held underground in saturated zones, which are zones where all the pores or crevices in rocks are filled with water. Groundwater is a huge source of water for personal and agricultural purposes.

Groundwater gets used and then refilled through a process called groundwater recharge. Groundwater recharge is when water moves or seeps downward from surface water to groundwater.

Surface water comes from precipitation like rain or snow. When it rains or snows, some water evaporates off the land to become water vapor once again. The remaining precipitation seeps into the earth to become groundwater.

How does this impact us?

Local

“The extent to which groundwater quantity and quality affect the overall function of the Great Lakes system is currently unknown” ~ USGS

National

According to the CDC, "one-third of Americans- more than 102 million people- get their drinking water from groundwater sources."

Global

"Only 2.5% of the world's water resources are considered fresh water." ~ EPA

Background Research

Groundwater is water that is stored underground in " Saturated zones" which can be accessed through many methods and technology in order to use that water for agriculture or other needs. Groundwater has played a major role in agriculture since the 1970s when it was discovered that it could be use for things like crops irrigation or as drinking water for livestock. As of April 2023 70% of groundwater withdrawals are for agriculture. Agriculture is not only the biggest consumer of groundwater but it also poses the the largest threat to the health of the groundwater. Farming and agriculture release harmful chemicals such as nitrogen and phosphorus that are good for crops but can be harmful if added to water bodies

Groundwater is created through the Hydrologic Cycle meaning that new groundwater is always being created, however this process is very slow. When it rains or snows some amount of that water will infiltrate into the soil/earth and become groundwater, depending on the soil quality in a given area this process might be faster or slower. In Allendale MI for example, our solid has a large clay content meaning that it takes much longer for water to filter through. Water moves through the soil using gravity so the more porous the particles are the faster the water can move through. Once in the ground Groundwater moves very slowly (7-60cm per day) and could remain in the same place for hundreds of years. Due to how slowly groundwater moves or is created it is important to keep it healthy and try to use it as sustainably as possible.

Implementation Plan

Drainage Sub-irrigation System

One way to increase the sustainability of using groundwater for agriculture is to use a Drainage Sub-irrigation System. These are systems commonly used by farmers growing large amounts of one crop or another, specifically corn. Drainage Sub-irrigation Systems have been shown to have positive impacts on crop yields, downstream water quality, and Groundwater recharge and quality. Through filtration systems, a drainage sub-irrigation system is able to help reduce the amount of man-made waste, nitrogen, phosphorus, and other potentially harmful chemicals from farming that could make their way into groundwater. Both nitrogen and phosphorus are chemicals commonly found in fertilizers and are necessary for healthy crop growth but can be harmful if they find their way into bodies of water such as lakes, streams, or groundwater aquifers.

In order to maximize groundwater recharge, irrigation water recycling systems like storage reservoirs are essential. These storage reservoirs allow excess soil moisture to be recaptured and reused, keeping the water in the sub-surface and groundwater cycles and preventing it from being discharged into surface water. Drainage recycling systems can also be constructed with wetlands or rain gardens to improve infiltration and allow excess sub-surface water to percolate down into groundwater more quickly. When all of these systems are used together in concert they allow farmers to have better control of their soil moisture while also reducing their reliance on groundwater for irrigation and, in fact, improve its recharge.

These types of systems are most commonly used on large-scale farms where the crops are shipped off to be sold in supermarkets or restaurants but a smaller drainage sub-irrigation system could be useful for smaller noncommercial farms like the SAP because it could help increase crop yield and increase the recharge of groundwater in Allendale.

Timeline of our Plan

Budget

Item Cost (estimated)

Drainage sub-irrigation system (including pipes and supply line) $10,000
Water storage reservoir $8,000
Funding for repairs/revisions $5,000 (per year)

Triple Bottom Line Analysis

Social

Equity and Access: Ensure that access to groundwater resources is equitable and that vulnerable communities are not unreasonably affected by changes in groundwater availability.
Health and Well-being: Assess the potential health impacts of groundwater use, including contamination risks. Ensure that the extraction and use of groundwater do not endanger the health and well-being of local communities.

Economic

Cost and Benefits: Evaluate the cost associated with extraction, treatment, and distribution of groundwater. As well as, the benefits derived from its use in agriculture, industry, and domestic product.
Resource Efficiency: Determine whether groundwater use is economically efficient and sustainable in the long run. Consider the long-term cost of over-extraction, such as land subsidence or expensive alternative options.

Environmental

Ecosystem Health: Evaluate the impact of groundwater use on the health of ecosystems. Groundwater extraction can affect surface water bodies, wetlands, and other ecosystems. Consider the maintenance of ecological balance and biodiversity.
Water Quality: Groundwater quality must be maintained at certain levels. Excessive extraction or contamination can degrade water quality, affecting not only human health but also the health of aquatic ecosystems.

Works Cited

Groundwater: What is groundwater? USGS, Water Science School, November 6th, 2018

Facts about global groundwater usage, NGWA, The Groundwater Association

Corn Yield Response to Drainage Water Recycling using Sub-irrigation, Kelly Nelson, Jeppe Kjaersgaard, Benjamin Reinhart, Jane Frankenberger, Rebecca Willison, Kpoti Gunn, Charlotte Lee, Lori Abendroth, Laura Bowling, Ali Rashid Niagh,

“Groundwater Awareness Week.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4 Feb. 2022, www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/groundwater-awareness-week.html#:~:text=More%20often%2C%20however%2C%20human%20activities,chemical%20spills%20at%20work%20sites.

“Ground Water Rule | US EPA.” United States Environmental Protection Agency, www.epa.gov/dwreginfo/ground-water-rule.

“Groundwater Decline and Depletion Completed.” Groundwater Decline and Depletion | U.S. Geological Survey, 2018, www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-science-school/science/groundwater-decline-and-depletion#:~:text=Pumping%20water%20out%20of%20the,caused%20by%20sustained%20groundwater%20pumping.

https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-science-school/science/land-subsidence

“Research Highlights.” Influence of Groundwater Extraction Costs and Resource Depletion Limits on Simulated Global Nonrenewable Water Withdrawals over the 21st Century | Https://Climatemodeling.Science.Energy.Gov/, Feb. 2018, climatemodeling.science.energy.gov/research-highlights/influence-groundwater-extraction-costs-and-resource-depletion-limits-simulated.

“What Is Groundwater?” Spokane Aquifer Joint Board, www.spokaneaquifer.org/the-aquifer/what-is-an-aquifer/what-is-groundwater/ Accessed 21 Nov. 2023.