Streamflow Depletion

Much of the book’s discussion thus far has focused on groundwater depletion. However, as wells continue to pump, the source of water increasingly comes from surface water. This chapter examines how depletion of even a small part of groundwater storage can have large impacts on surface-water resources. Yet despite this critical connection, different laws govern surface water and groundwater. Solving this complex water resource relationship also involves accounting for the delayed effects of pumping on surface-water resources. The ongoing challenges for conjunctive management are illustrated by the South Platte River basin of Colorado, as well as the Arkansas and Republican Rivers.