Degradation of groundwater resources is not thoroughly documented but monitoring ground water quality is increasing significantly. Impairment or groundwater often occurs from infiltration of surface contaminants, or migration of pollutants from uncontrolled burial or landfilling sites. Loss of groundwater is due to overutilization or reduction in the ability to recharge. Oceans and Estuaries Near-coastal ocean waters and estuaries are the focus of EPA s coastal programs. Estuaries are located at the interface of fresh and saline waters, often defined by the tidally influenced zone at the mouth of a river entering the ocean.
Residence times vary with size.
Burgeoning coastal populations are creating a greater need for monitoring coastal water quality to detect emerging water resource problems as early as possible. These four resource types inevitably have some overlap. Certain characteristics of the watersheds, lakes and rivers category in particular are held in common with the other three categories. The report identifies areas where monitoring needs of one category of water resource are comparable to needs in the other categories so that applicable remote sensing and advanced technologies are recommended for all appropriate resource types. Remote Sensing Technologies Considered Materials on the earth s surface, such as water, soil, and plant chlorophyll, have a unique atomic structure that reflects a predictable and often unique amount of radiation at each interval along the electromagnetic spectrum.