{"id":790,"date":"2025-01-27T17:31:36","date_gmt":"2025-01-27T17:31:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/waterfront\/?p=790"},"modified":"2025-12-02T19:32:09","modified_gmt":"2025-12-02T19:32:09","slug":"how-to-build-a-national-effort-to-secure-americas-disappearing-groundwater","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/waterfront\/2025\/01\/27\/how-to-build-a-national-effort-to-secure-americas-disappearing-groundwater\/","title":{"rendered":"How to build a national effort to secure America’s disappearing groundwater"},"content":{"rendered":"

America\u2019s food supply depends on increasingly strained aquifers. Here are some essential building blocks for a national effort to secure our groundwater.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

In early 2024, the President\u2019s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology\u2019s (PCAST) requested input on how to address the country\u2019s groundwater challenges. For EDF\u2019s Climate Resilient Water Systems team, which has been working on this issue for over a decade, this provided an opportunity to reflect on what strategies have been effective and where we think future efforts should be focused. <\/span>We submitted <\/span>written recommendations<\/span><\/a> to the President\u2019s Council and accepted a subsequent invitation from the committee to participate in an <\/span>in-person workshop to flesh out possible strategies.<\/span><\/p>\n

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EDF submitted written recommendations<\/a> to the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology in 2024.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Groundwater is one of our most vital resources, underpinning a secure food supply, providing drinking water for nearly half of the U.S. population, sustaining ecosystems like wetlands and streams, and supporting rural economies. Although groundwater is largely managed at the state level–resulting in a patchwork of policies and protections–alarming rates of decline in groundwater levels across the U.S. poses a significant threat to the nation\u2019s water security and highlights the urgent need for targeted federal support to address this growing crisis.<\/span><\/p>\n

When PCAST released its <\/span>final report<\/span><\/a> in December, we were thrilled to see strong alignment with our priorities and recommendations to tackle groundwater challenges. Here are three specific actions points that both EDF and the PCAST taskforce are calling for:<\/span><\/p>\n

Increase Data Availability and Access<\/b><\/p>\n

To gain a comprehensive understanding of the nation\u2019s groundwater, and therefore more effectively manage the resource we need:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n