Why is Groundwater Important?

“World Water Day is on the 22^nd of March every year. It is an annual United Nations Observance, started in 1993, that celebrates water and raises awareness of the 2 billion people currently living without access to safe water. A core focus of World Water Day is to inspire action towards Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030.” – www.worldwaterday.org

World Water Day provides the opportunity to learn more about water issues, take action, and educate others about the threats to clean water that exist around us. The 2022 focus is on groundwater. Just as its name suggests, groundwater is found underground. Groundwater serves as a source of freshwater to springs, rivers, lakes, wetlands, and oceans. It is foundational to our health and future.

This year, World Water Day organizers have included a FACT SHEET for those wishing to learn more about groundwater. The fact sheet includes many details, including this salient point: “Exploring, protecting, and sustainably using groundwater will be central to surviving and adapting to climate change and meeting the needs of a growing population.”

As a critical population-related issue, NPG consistently focuses on educating our members – especially young people through our extensive educational outreach programs – regarding the vital need to keep our nation’s leaders focused on protecting America’s all-important water resources.

Without question, America’s creeks, ponds, lakes, and rivers form our nation’s bloodstream. Yet, today many are plagued by outdated dams, polluted by industrial and agricultural runoff, and littered with debris that threatens fish and other natural resources.

In 2021, the organization America’s Rivers issued their list of America’s Most Endangered Rivers, which included:

Snake River (WY, OR, ID, & WA)
Lower Missouri River (MO)
Boundary Waters (MN)
South River (MD)
Pecos River (TX, NM)
Tar Creek (OK)
McCloud River (CA)
Ipswich River (MA)
Raccoon River (IA)
Turkey Creek (MS)

Along with the World Water Day organization, NPG also believes Americans must prioritize the health and wellness of every body (or pathway) of water nationwide. In NPG’s Forum paper America’s Groundwater: Are We Doing Enough to Save It, author Chris Daly sums up the importance of groundwater and why it needs to be protected, saying: “Water is more than just another commodity – it is essential to life. Unlike oil, there are no substitutes for it…Without question, the U.S. must find more ways to stretch America’s water supplies through efficiency, conservation, recycling, and better agricultural management…Yet, without a substantial reduction in U.S. population, none of these efforts will succeed in the long term – and we will be confronted with a massive water and food crisis.”

To read more about population issues, please explore NPG’s Forum paper series, particularly:

On the Wrong Track: Why the Endangered Species Act Isn’t Enough by Dr. Karen I. Shragg

How COVID, Climate, and the Cartels Reshape U.S. Refugee Policy by Edwin S. Rubenstein

Humans are Making Oceans Warmer, Deeper, and Life-Threatening by Edwin S. Rubenstein