Groundwater resource management in eastern England: a quest for environmentally sustainable development

Abstract

The management of groundwater resources in England and Wales was initially based only on measures of the renewable resource. This has been extended to include the need to preserve the springs, river flows and surface water levels dependent on groundwater discharges as a key objective of a sustainable management of groundwater resources. The impacts of all new groundwater abstraction proposals on the surface water environment are now evaluated using a number of techniques, some of which are under further development. The sustainable management of groundwater catchments also includes the control of pumping from existing groundwater sources to meet agreed environmental targets. This approach is illustrated by examples of groundwater catchments managed to augment surface flows, to prevent saline intrusion and to preserve the integrity of wetland conservation sites.