A Groundwater
Handbook
GroundwaterVirginia


    IMPORTANT GROUNDWATER ISSUES OF THE VIRGINIA COASTAL PLAIN

    The following presentations are in pdf form and require Adobe Reader. Some of the files
    are large and may take several minutes to download. Simply click on the title of the
    presentation that you want.

    NEW!
    Supply and Demand: The Coming Struggle for a Sustainable Water Supply
    A course of five lessons which describes how Virginia is experiencing a historical shift from its
    traditional supply of water to a new comprehensive and diversified supply that includes
    nontraditional water sources. CLICK HERE FOR THE LESSONS

    The Great Maryland Water Theft Hypothesis
    A discussion of  the debate about the influence of groundwater withdrawals in southern
    Maryland on the groundwater supply of the Northern Neck of Virginia. <<CLICK HERE>>

    * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
    A primer on the properties and functions of the groundwater system, and a description of the
    aquifer system of the Virginia Coastal Plain.

    A discussion of groundwater hydrographs and how they provide evidence of  groundwater
    overdraft on the Virginia Coastal Plain.

    A critical look at the allegation that large groundwater withdrawals in Maryland are adversely
    affecting the water supply of Virginia's Northern Neck.

    A discussion of the reasons for expanding groundwater management throughout the entire
    Virginia Coastal Plain.

    The lifetime of a regional artesian groundwater system, such as that of the Virginia Coastal
    Plain, may be illustrated by a descriptive model composed of five interdependent elements: rate
    of groundwater withdrawal, groundwater supply (resource stock), artesian water levels,
    extraction and distribution costs, and scale of water supply planning and management. The
    model describes the tracks of these elements as they change with respect to time. Based on the
    behavior of the elements of the system, the lifetime of an artesian groundwater supply may be
    divided into five distinct eras: Era of Natural Equilibrium, Era of Abundance and Complacency,
    Era of Mounting Crises, Era of Supply Restructuring, and Era of Sustainability. This model
    provides a basic picture of the changes in the groundwater supply of the Virginia Coastal Plain
    during the decades ahead. Consequently, it can serve as a useful framework for water supply
    planning and management.
    (Abstracted  from gsa.confex.com/gsa/2010NE/finalprogram/abstract_167911.htm)

    NEW!
    A description of the water resources and water demand in the Commonwealth of Virginia and
    what has to be done to achieve a sustainable water supply. The historic shift from traditional
    water sources to a new water supply paradigm is presented.