From Keller Hall on the campus of the University of Minnesota -Twin Cities, The Geological Society of Minnesota is proud to present Dr. Carrie Jennings and Groundwater Governance in the Great Lakes States - From Well-Cobbled, to Equitable and Sustainable?
Groundwater is a crucially important but often overlooked resource in the Great Lakes region. As a common-pool resource, the region's aquifers should have a well-structured set of governing principles to guide their sustainable and equitable use. We ask, “but do they?”
We assessed hydrogeology knowledge, legal structures, and the institutions in six Great Lakes states including the tribes that share their geography. We conclude that the current structure, cobbled together over decades in response to different kinds of stressors and crises, does not adequately provide for a participatory and inclusive groundwater management system. It is not founded in adequate technical knowledge everywhere, and it is not coordinated around local, shared aquifers. Thus, it is not constructed to best connect water users to the region’s future prosperity.
An incredible resource lies beneath our feet and connects us all. Freshwater, with the support of the Joyce Foundation, is working to bring attention and care to groundwater for our shared prosperity and for generations to come.
Dr. Carrie Jennings has been Research and Policy Director at Freshwater since 2016 after having been a field geologist for 24 years, 22 of those with the Minnesota Geological Survey and two with the DNR, Division of Lands and Minerals. She also served as the science reports lead for the County Geologic Atlas program at the DNR for 2 years. She has been Adjunct Graduate Faculty in the Dept. of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the U of M for 30 years. She applies her understanding of glacial geology and landscape evolution to shape policy and technical approaches for managing surface water and groundwater, avoiding hazards, and using resources wisely.
Dr. Jennings did Field Camp work at the University of Alaska, received her BA in Geology from Northwestern University, and her MS and PhD in Geology from the University of Minnesota.
This video is separated into three parts:
00:00 Introduction
01:43 Main presentation
44:55 Questions and Answers
Note: GSM apologizes that there were some focus issues during parts of this presentation. It is not your eyesight. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS PRESENTATION:
FRESHWATER
FRESHWATER.ORG
The mission of Freshwater is to inspire and empower people to value and preserve water.
Since 1968, Freshwater has been a leading public nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving clean, sustainable water that is vital for healthy communities and ecosystems. Our vision is that there is clean and abundant water for all, now and in the future; clean water is protected while impaired water is restored; groundwater is conserved and protected; and water-related climate change impacts are minimized.
JOYCE FOUNDATION
JOYCEFDN.ORG
The Joyce Foundation is a private, nonpartisan philanthropy that invests in public policies and strategies to advance racial equity and economic mobility for the next generation in the Great Lakes region.
MINNESOTA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
CSE.UMN.EDU/MGS
The Minnesota Geological Survey (MGS) was established in 1872 by the State of Minnesota and is a research and service arm of the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Minnesota. The MGS collaborates with universities, government agencies, industry, and local communities to study Minnesota's geology, create geological maps, and conduct research.