Groundwater governance in the Great Lakes Region
A descriptive assessment of hydrogeology and institutional networks in six Great Lakes states and the tribes that share their geography
Ground water is a crucially important but often overlooked resource in the Great Lakes region. As a common-pool resource, the region's aquifers should have a well-structured set of governing principles to guide their sustainable and equitable use. We ask, “but do they?”
We conclude that the current structure, cobbled together over decades in response to different kinds of stressors and crises, does not adequately provide for a participatory and inclusive groundwater management system. It is not founded in adequate technical knowledge everywhere, and it is not coordinated around local, shared aquifers. Thus it is not constructed to best connect water users to the region’s future prosperity.
An incredible resource lies beneath our feet and connects us all. Join us in working to bring attention and care to groundwater for our shared prosperity and for generations to come. For more information, feel free to contact corresponding authors:
Terin V Mayer, University of Minnesota
terin@umn.edu
Carrie E Jennings, Freshwater Society
cjennings@freshwater.org
Funding for the report provided by The Joyce Foundation.
