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The 208 Planning Approach to Ground‐Water Protection — What Is Wrong and What Can Be Done About It? a
Author(s) -
Schmidt Kenneth D.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
groundwater
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.84
H-Index - 94
eISSN - 1745-6584
pISSN - 0017-467X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-6584.1979.tb03290.x
Subject(s) - recreation , common ground , groundwater , environmental planning , water resources , pollution , legislation , business , environmental science , environmental resource management , engineering , political science , law , ecology , sociology , geotechnical engineering , communication , biology
ABSTRACT Generally, the 208 planning approach is deficient in a number of ways. Its origin lies in Public Law 92‐500, which focuses on protection of surface water and special uses of water for fish, wildlife, and recreation. Little ground water is used for these purposes. Nonpoint sources have not been defined in terms that have hydrogeologic significance. Local and State regulatory agencies have often been unsuccessful in controlling ground‐water pollution, yet the 208 approach tends to disregard the reasons for this situation. The reasons for ground‐water pollution in an area must be understood before meaningful control measures can be enacted. These include both technical and institutional problems. Planners are placed in the forefront of many 208 programs at the local level and often their backgrounds are inadequate in ground water. There is a great lack of ground‐water professionals in regulatory agencies involved, particularly in the Southwest. This deficiency is paramount at high levels and in many regional offices of EPA. There are no provisions in the approach to insure that qualified ground‐water geologists or hydrologists will be involved. Academic training in ground water is presently oriented toward ground‐water development and not pollution. Lastly, public participation is greatly limited by the general lack of knowledge regarding ground water and its pollution. Successful 208 programs in terms of ground water have been enacted when ground‐water professionals have had major roles. Changes are necessary in the academic training of ground‐water geologists and hydrologists. The public must be educated concerning the long‐term consequences of ground‐water pollution. Lastly, ground‐water professionals must assume the leadership in ground‐water protection.