Ground Water Protection by Recharge Zone Management: Institutional Arrangements

摘要

The control of ground water quality by proper management of critical recharge zones was examined. A review of the important technical features of ground water and its contamination provided a foundation for a discussion of the needs, issues, existing legislation, and possible institutions for protecting this valuable resource. Three institutional levels of management were considered: local, regional, and state. The applicability of these approaches was analyzed both for the nation in general and for three specific case study areas in Virginia. This study concluded that a state-oriented approach to recharge zone protection has more advantages than the two alternatives. This conclusion applied both to the specific case studies and in general. Additionally, active municipal level participation must be solicited by the states. This is because land use planning by zoning controls offers one of the strongest existing mechanisms for recharge zone protection.