March 16, 2015
The Honorable Ken Calvert
House Appropriations Subcommittee on
Interior, Environment & Related Agencies
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
Re: National Groundwater Monitoring Network FY2016 Funding
Dear Chairman Calvert,
On behalf of the undersigned organizations, we ask for your continued support of the National
Groundwater Monitoring Network (NGWMN) in the FY2016 Interior and Environment Appropriations
Bill. Groundwater is a critical source of drinking water for more than 40% of the country, and in some
locations is relied on by 80% of the population. It is a primary source of irrigation water for high-quality
agricultural products and an important economic driver for the U.S. economy. Therefore, we the
undersigned ask Congress to fund the NGWMN at a level of $3.6 million for FY2016.
The NGWMN is envisioned as a nationwide, voluntary, cooperative, integrated system of data collection,
management, and reporting that will provide the data needed to help address present and future
groundwater management questions. It takes advantage of, but also seeks to enhance, existing
monitoring efforts conducted by many Federal, State, Tribal, and local agencies. Currently, these
efforts are not presented in a common platform necessary for widespread access and often require
extensive analysis in order to use the collected data on a national scale.
At present, no such national picture exists to monitor groundwater.
To address this issue, once the NGWMN is fully implemented, participating states will collect
groundwater data from representative wells and assure the quality of the data contributed to the
network. From there, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) will maintain and update the network
and provide public access to the state-owned data through a web portal. Ultimately, the network will
provide invaluable data to assess baseline conditions and long-term trends in groundwater levels and
water quality in important aquifers at national, multistate, and regional scales—even aquifers shared
with Canada and Mexico. The network will also provide data for national, state, and basin level
management decisions to help determine the long-term viability of these groundwater sources.
The NGWMN was authorized in the 2009 SECURE Water Act (P.L. 111-11 Omnibus Public Land
Management Act), and the success of pilot projects completed by several states—Illinois, Indiana,
Minnesota, Montana, New Jersey, and Texas—demonstrates that the technology and resultant data are
tested, proven, and ready to be utilized nationally. $2.6 million in funding was provided in FY2015
through P.L. 113-235 the Consolidated and Continuing Appropriations Act, which will help to begin
implementation of the national network. However, funding must be continued beyond FY2015 to fully
build and maintain the NGWMN.
We recognize the fiscal realities facing Congress, but also the invaluable role groundwater plays in
securing our nation’s future, which is why we request Congress fund the NGWMN at $3.6 million for
FY2016, as requested in the President’s FY2016 budget proposal.
To ensure that the funding fulfills the intent of the NGWMN as authorized by the SECURE Water Act, we
also request the following report language be included:
Within Water Resources, the bill includes $3.6 million for continuation of a National
Groundwater Monitoring Network, as requested. The Committee intends these funds to
be used to provide cost-share grants to states to upgrade monitoring networks to
national standards and to incorporate wells into the network. The funding will also
support additional work by the USGS necessary to manage and provide data access
through an internet web portal.
Please contact Lauren Schapker of the National Ground Water Association at lschapker@ngwa.org or
202.888.9151 if you have questions or would like additional information regarding the NGWMN. Thank
you for considering this request.
Sincerely,
American Geosciences Institute
American Water Works Association
Association of California Water Agencies
Association of American State Geologists
Colorado Water Well Contractors Association
Empire State Water Well Drillers Association
Florida Ground Water Association
Ground Water Protection Council
Groundwater Resources Association of California
Illinois Association of Groundwater Professionals
Illinois Groundwater Association
Irrigation Association
Louisiana Groundwater Association
Michigan Geological Survey
Michigan Ground Water Association
Minnesota Water Well Association
Montana Water Will Drillers Association
National Ground Water Association
National Utility Contractors Association
New Jersey Ground Water Association
New Mexico Ground Water Association
Nevada Groundwater Association
North Carolina Ground Water Association
Oklahoma Water Survey
Texas Ground Water Association
Texas Water Conservation Association
Water Quality Association
Water Systems Council