(California Court of Appeal) - Affirmed the denial of a motion to disqualify another party's counsel in longstanding litigation over groundwater rights. Stressed the movant's long delay in seeking disqualification, in this case where counsel allegedly had a conflict of interest.

South Carolina grants Google permission to pump up to 549 million gallons of groundwater every year to cool servers at its Berkeley County data center.

As a significant step toward environmental remediation of hazardous substances found within the Town of Blades in Sussex County, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed the Blades Groundwater Site to the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL), Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary Shawn M. Garvin announced today.

Groundwater recharge and runoff conditions are ascertained in the Suixiao coal-mining district using the hydrogen and oxygen isotopes and the trace elements in the unconsolidated pore aquifer of the Cenozoic group, the fissured sandstone aquifer of the Permian system, and the karst fissured limestone aquifer of the Carboniferous Taiyuan Formation and the Ordovician system, which are the main recharge aquifers during coal mining. The main water–rock interactions are pyrite oxidation, cation exchange and adsorption, and carbonate acidification, which are educed by principal component analysis of conventional ions. These results combined with geological conditions prove that hydraulic connection exists generally between the main recharge aquifers, and the groundwater circulation is controlled by faults in the sandstone and limestone aquifers. The water–rock interaction is very weak in the east of the district, which is proved to be a recharge area by Fisher discriminant analysis. This study provides the theoretical basis for the hydrochemistry exploration and the establishment of a water-inrush warning system in a concealed coalfield.

Groundwater is best described as an open access good: as a common pool resource others cannot be excluded from using and as a finite resource, its consumption leaves less for others to enjoy. In addition to its obvious benefits to humans and animals, it contributes in sustaining the hydro-environment and life on the planet. Scarcity causes groundwater to become an economic good and have an economic value. By and large, economic valuations respond to changes in the quantity and quality of groundwater. They are based on willingness to pay for maintaining its benefits or willingness to accept compensation for giving them up. There have been some 50 published groundwater valuation studies worldwide in the last 30 years, mostly focusing on groundwater quality and contamination. There is sparsity of valuations in Africa and Asia. The results suggest median economic values of 60–160 and mean values of 70–480 US dollars per household per year. Generally, values are higher in the USA followed by Europe, and lowest in Asia. People's income is a major factor affecting values, but this does not mean that they value groundwater less. Economic valuations and cost–benefit analysis are useful in highlighting people's priorities and choice of options. However, economics alone should not dictate actions for protecting groundwater resources from degradation and depletion.

A logistic regression model and a bivariate statistical analysis were used in this paper to evaluate the groundwater recharge susceptibility. The approach is based on the assessment of the relationship involving groundwater recharge and parameters that influence this hydrological process. Surface parameters and aquifer-related parameters were evaluated as thematic map layers using ArcGIS. Then, a weighted-rating method was adopted to categorize each parameter's map. To assess the role of each parameter in the aquifer recharge, a logistic regression model and a bivariate statistical analysis were applied to the Guenniche phreatic aquifer (Tunisia). Models are explored to establish a map showing the aquifer recharge susceptibility. The code Modflow was used to simulate the consequence of the recharge. The recharge amount was introduced in the model and was tested to verify the recharge effect on the hydraulic head for the two models. The obtained results reveal that the recharge as mapped in the bivariate statistical model has a minor impact on the hydraulic head. Results of the logistic regression model are more significant as the hydraulic head is widely affected. This model provides good results in mapping the spatial distribution of the aquifer recharge susceptibility.

There is a pressing need for new exploration tools to target and vector towards mineralization in covered terrains. Groundwater provides a valuable and under-utilized geochemical sampling medium, and represents an important and cost-effective tool to expose covered terrains to systematic exploration. For Au exploration, researchers agree the best hydrogeochemistry pathfinder is dissolved Au itself, with additional potential from other pathfinders (albeit non-unique) such as As, Ag, W and Mo. Despite Au's relatively low solubility, with rigorous field protocols and appropriate analytical methods, explorers can respond to dissolved Au directly with robust parts per trillion (ppt)-level analyses.

Even with ppt-level analyses, a practical implication of Au's low solubility is that a deposit's dissolved Au signature is generally weaker than seen in other more mobile pathfinders, producing a smaller detectable footprint, which must be considered when designing exploration programmes. Using purpose-drilled groundwater sampling bores, explorers can collect groundwater samples at the density required to respond to dissolved Au where existing borehole coverage is otherwise insufficient. In addition to its use at the regional scale, with even tighter sample density, hydrogeochemistry also shows promise at the project scale, allowing the 3D modelling of pathfinder dispersion.

For hydrogeochemistry to be widely adopted for Au exploration, explorers need confidence in ppt-level dissolved Au analyses, and the context to understand their significance. This paper aims to address these topics and provide a straightforward starting point for Au explorers interested in applying hydrogeochemistry by: (i) summarizing examples of regional sampling programmes and more focused case studies to illustrate how covered Au deposits create measurable dissolved Au footprints distinguishable from background; and (ii) sharing examples of dissolved Au analyses that are being integrated into exploration at the regional and project scales.

As seen in the results, the distributions of dissolved Au in the regional- and project-scale programmes show remarkably similar and easy to interpret high-contrast, low-frequency anomalies against relatively low backgrounds. These are desirable attributes of any geochemical pathfinder. When combined with the benefits of hydrogeochemistry v. other geochemical exploration tools (e.g. groundwater can create larger footprints requiring fewer samples to detect, and groundwater can recharge from depth to reflect deeper mineralization), dissolved Au is a powerful pathfinder ideally suited for Au exploration in covered terrains.

While this paper focuses on the use of dissolved Au, additional pathfinders can provide valuable information, including indications of lithological changes, hydrothermal alteration and different styles of mineralization, as well as opportunities to use secondary pathfinders when sample density or local conditions may not result in detectable dissolved Au signatures.

Thematic collection: This article is part of the Exploration 17 collection available at: https://www.lyellcollection.org/cc/exploration-17

To avoid arsenic contamination, many Bangladeshi households access water via private wells drilled to 300 feet or less, beneath impermeable clay layers. Such clay layers have been thought to protect groundwater in the underlying aquifers from the downward flow of contaminants. However, a new study suggests that such clay layers do not always protect against arsenic, and could even be a source of contamination in some wells.

As the drought bites deeper, residents in a growing number of rural communities are fighting to stop local groundwater being taken to satisfy Australia's thirst for bottled water.

The bigger question: why is the industry playing into the hands of the anti-fracking activists?

Radioactive uranium occurs naturally in soils but farming techniques may be causing it to dissolve into groundwater

This could mean we're drinking our plastic waste.

A new initiative seeks to unite organizations to promote sustainable groundwater management.

The call to action highlighted in Nature this week cites recent scientific breakthroughs on groundwater’s vital role in supporting rivers globally.

According to Karen Villholth, a principal researcher focusing on groundwater for the International Water Management Institute, poorer rural communities in South Africa similarly struggle with groundwater issues — a problem exacerbated by the recent drought that has stricken the country.

New reports heighten awareness of an urgent imperative.

Inclusion of groundwater in continent-wide strategies has potential to help keep Africa’s broader development on a sustainable footing.

A Kerala panchayat has recently appealed the state High Court's ruling which said that the panchayat's rejection of Coca Cola's application for renewal of license to extract groundwater was untenable in law. Videh Upadhyay drafts some of questions that the Supreme Court may need to settle.

Online Resource

Groundwater Hydrology

Barker Library - GB1003.2.G76 2019

Online Resource

Ewing, Robyn (Robyn Ann), 1955- author

Jarvis, W. Todd, author

Cambridge, Mass. : National Bureau of Economic Research, 2019

Rotch Library - GB1140.N83 D37 2016