THE HIGH PLAINS AQUIFER—CHALLENGES IN COMMUNICATING GROUNDWATER SCIENCE

Out of sight and out of mind, it is always a challenge to communicate about groundwater to the public at large. Communication challenges associated with the High Plains aquifer, as well as other aquifers, will be discussed, including the relative importance of groundwater storage and fluxes, the utility of information at multiple spatial scales, challenges presented by hydrologic versus human timescales, incentives for cooperative management, and the importance of water use data. Particular emphasis is given to how knowledge of groundwater systems can be applied to sustainability and good governance.