bl-hdr
National Groundwater Awareness Week

Life as we know it would be impossible without groundwater. It is the world's most extracted natural resource, and it supports our ecosystems. Don't take groundwater for granted. Pay it forward during National Groundwater Awareness Week, March 8-14, 2020, by letting others know the importance of groundwater and asking them to pass it along.

How can you get involved?

Share.


GWAW2020GWAW provides an opportunity for people to learn about the importance of groundwater and how the resource impacts lives. Your involvement and passion during the week is what makes GWAW so successful, and we have put together social media graphics to share.

Follow the Groundwater Foundation (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) and National Ground Water Association (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) on social media; like, share, and retweet #GWAW posts, or customize posts with local information.  

Click here to view and download Groundwater Awareness Week social media graphics.

Click here to view and download official logos.

Inspire.

You can help inspire the next generation of groundwater professionals with an Awesome Aquifer kit.


Awesome Aquifer KitGroundwater professionals encompass many different occupations within the industry, including well water drillers, hydrogeologists, engineers, groundwater scientists, and educators.

The Awesome Aquifer Kit is a fun and educational groundwater kit with everything you need to build an aquifer model. Instructions and activity supplies are included to walk you through learning all about groundwater. 

The kit is great for use in classrooms, at community events, at festivals or fairs, or any other educational setting. Both youth and adults love the hands-on nature of the activities!

Get yours at: awesomeaquifer.com

Learn more about the Groundwater Foundation's educational resources at: https://www.groundwater.org/kids

0:00 / 0:00

Support.

We all rely on groundwater in some way, and groundwater relies on us to protect it.

Learn more, get involved - collectively we make a difference! Support the Groundwater Foundation in their efforts to continue to protect, connect, and inspire.



bullhorn  Top 10 Facts About Groundwater Use

 

  • Only 1 percent of the water on Earth is useable, 99 percent of which is groundwater.

  • The United States uses 349 billion gallons of freshwater every day. 

  • Groundwater is 20 to 30 times larger than all U.S. lakes, streams, and rivers combined.

  • Groundwater accounts for 33 percent of all the water used by U.S. municipalities.

  • 44 percent of the U.S. population depends on groundwater for its drinking water supply.

  • More than 13.2 million households have their own well, representing 34 million people.

  • 53.5 billion gallons of groundwater are used for agricultural irrigation each day. In 1990 that number was 2.2 billion.

  • The largest U.S. aquifer is Ogallala, underlying 250,000 square miles stretching from Texas to South Dakota. Scientists estimate it could take 6000 years to naturally refill the aquifer if it were ever fully depleted.

  • California pumps 10.7 billion gallons of groundwater each day, a third more than the second-highest state, Texas.

  • Groundwater is the world’s most extracted raw material with withdrawal rates in the estimated range of 259 trillion gallons per year.

 

bullhorn  Top Groundwater Myths

 

  • Groundwater migrates thousands of miles.

  • Groundwater removed from the Earth is never returned.

  • Groundwater is not a significant source of water supply.

  • Groundwater is abundantly available, therefore does not need to be conserved.

  • There is no relationship between groundwater and surface water.