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Ground Water Watch™ is a program that collects ground water information for monitoring the health of our ground water supply. This information will be used to help you work towards maintaining a sustainable ground water supply. Making good decisions in using our groundwater supply requires knowledge of how our ground water passes into and through the subsurface, its flow path, water quality changes, seasonal fluctuations, vulnerabilities to pollution, and connection with surface water bodies. Unfortunately, data is very limited and decisions are not always supported with enough data. The science of hydrogeology under its current level of evolvement has many limitations. Further limitations are encountered when attempting to adequately evaluate groundwater flow in a fractured bedrock environment. These environments are common in California and may be found in the Sierra, Coastal, Cascade and Transverse Ranges of our state. State demographic information suggests that people are populating these areas that result in a variety of changing landuses and expanding environmental interests. The amount and type of data needed to facilitate knowing your water is enormous. This data must be collected spatially (across geographic regions) and temporally (through a long time period). The most basic data needs include; 1) groundwater level data and 2) general chemistry. As the database develops, other types of data can also be compiled. Ultimately, our understanding of the sustainability of our water resource will improve as a result of our growing database. As a VWO, you contribute an important building block that, cumulatively, will create the database needed to "Know Your Water". With this developing database, a conceptual understanding will be identified and the public will become informed and educated. Ultimately, we can identify our water supply vulnerability and develop effective contingencies, alternatives and remedies that optimize the sustainability of our water supply, individually and regionally. |