Related concerns exist about the effects of changes in ground-water discharge to coastal ecosystems. A project to review what is known about these freshwater-saltwater issues along the Atlantic coast has recently begun. The Ground-Water Resources Program thus addresses a variety of information needs. As the program transitions from its exclusive focus on the 25RASA aquifer systems to broader issues, the above activities serve as prototypes for the possible future activities described below. Availability of an adequate supply of freshwater is a significant issue affecting continued economic growth of cities and towns in the Southwest, which also contains of the most productive agricultural lands in the United States.
Environmental considerations create increasing constraints on water development.
For example, perennial streams, springs, and wetlands depend on ground-water discharge for their existence. In addition, the effect of climatic variability on water resources, particularly on ground-water recharge are not well understood and are a major deficiency in current models used in water management .