MAR Technical, Regulatory and Policy Challenges, Barriers and Evolving Solutions in the United States

Submitted by:
Timothy K. Parker, PG, CEG, CHG
President
Parker Groundwater
PO Box 221597
Sacramento, California 95822
tim@pg-tim.com
www.pg-tim.com

Globally, there is wide recognition of increasing environmental needs for surface water resources, projected effects of climate change including the timing and availability of surface water to meet demands, and the realization that few surface water reservoirs will be constructed in the future. The result in the United States (US) is increased emphasis on managed aquifer recharge, which is being met with a mixture of successes, and technical, regulatory, political challenges and barriers. Arsenic in Florida and disinfection byproducts in California have been barriers for implementation of aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) projects, and coliform bacteria in stormwater recharge has also been a challenge. In an attempt to develop solutions, a number of federal, state and private initiatives are ongoing. Acknowledging the groundwater industry needs, the US Environmental Protection Agency held a meeting of ASR experts in Chicago to start looking for solutions to regulatory challenges to ASR, and has been continuing that dialogue through participation at public meetings and individual meetings with industry. EPA has initiated national rulemaking to establish a program to reduce stormwater discharges and make regulatory improvements to its stormwater program. The American Ground Water Trust has been the leading proponent of ASR over the past decade through conferences, publications and recently developed a video on ASR. The Groundwater Protection Council has also been leading dialogues with state regulators and EPA on ASR issues and challenges.  In 2009, the National Ground Water Association formed an ASR Task Force, will conduct a technical session in March 2010 in Colorado to discuss technical and regulatory challenges and options with EPA, and is developing Best Suggested Practices for ASR. This paper will summarize US challenges, barriers and proposed solutions through a snapshot of several case studies, and update evolving state and federal regulatory and policy directions and proposed changes.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

TIMOTHY K. PARKER, PG, CEG, CHG, President, Parker Groundwater.  Mr. Parker provides strategic planning, policy consulting and groundwater technical expertise to public and private sector clients to develop effective solutions to complex problems in the water and evolving environmental and energy industries. Mr. Parker’s groundwater experience spans more than 25 years and includes water policy analysis, groundwater recharge and resources development, groundwater management, groundwater monitoring, and contaminant hydrogeology in public and private sectors. He was previously with Schlumberger Water and Carbon Services, and prior to that with the California Department of Water Resources. He is a California Professional Geologist, Certified Engineering Geologist, and Certified Hydrogeologist, and co-author of the book California Groundwater Management, 2nd edition 2005. Mr. Parker serves the Groundwater Resources Association of California as a Director and Legislative Committee Chair, the California Groundwater Coalition as Director, and American Ground Water Trust as Chair. Mr. Parker is co-chair of the Implementation Work Group for development of the Nationwide Ground Water Monitoring Network, under the Subcommittee on Ground Water, Advisory Committee on Water Information, U.S. Department of the Interior. Mr. Parker also serves as a Director on the National Ground Water Association- Scientists and Engineers Division, as a member of the NGWA Government Affairs Committee, Chair of the Groundwater Protection and Management Subcommittee, and Chair of the Regional Groundwater Resources Management Task Force.  Mr. Parker is actively engaged in the Association of California Water Agencies Groundwater Committee current efforts to develop a strategic framework for sustainable groundwater management in California