ABSTRACT
Proper management of groundwater aquifers to eliminate (IWRA, Water International, 1999), control, or stabilize groundwater contamination, requires appropriate credible institutional structures that allow for implementation and follow-through on strategies of proactive significance (Archey and Mawson, 1984; McCabe et al., 1997; Burke et al., 1999; Sun and Zheng, 1999; Petts et al., 1999). Groundwater management criteria [URL Ref. No. 3 181 should include the following as a minimum:
maintaining, controlling, or stabilizing groundwater levels so as to minimize the opportunity for contamination of infiltrate from surface sources maintaining, controlling, or stabilizing groundwater levels to prevent upward movement of more saline and warmer water into the aquifer regulating the quality of water used to artificially recharge the aquifer storm runoff [URL Ref. No. 2491 collected in upstream reservoirs, stored, and then released into spreading area; this could be of a higher quality than groundwater, however, imported and reclaimed waters may not be preventing saltwater intrusion [URL Ref. No. 2551 and inflow of poor quality natural waters from adjacent surface areas and aquifers, with poor quality water from underground sources usually being excluded by many pumping wells installed in a line, while surface waters intercepted by drainage ditches are diverted from the area regulating the drilling, completion, and operation of all types of wells penetrating the aquifer in question reducing salt loads by exporting groundwater, wastewater, or brines [URL Ref. No. 2371 that are high in salinity
systematically and comprehensively monitoring the quality of groundwater throughout the aquifer system to identify and locate contamination sources, including leaking underground fuel tanks (McKee et al., 1972) [URL Ref. No. 25 l], radionuclides [URL Ref. No. 3041, etc., or to verify if corrective or stabilization or control measures have been successful or implemented properly implementing comprehensive planning programs [URL Ref. No. 3 191 aimed at controlling, stabilizing, or abating groundwater contamination (i.e., such as comprehensive pretreatment programs for industrial waste discharge) [URL Ref. No. 2271
General groundwater management [URL Ref. No. 3 181 and development has long been directed to satisfying demands without taking into account the scarcity of this natural resource (Leusink, 1992; American Society of Civil Engineers, 1987). As a result, groundwater resources are overexploited in many areas, especially in arid and semiarid regions. Sustained groundwater resources development to prevent contamination, therefore, requires a broader scope and an integrated approach to water resources management and planning [URL Ref. No. 34, 3201. Relevant elements within integrated water resources management (Rushton, 1999; Lee, 1999; Berg et al., 1999) include water conservation [URL Ref. No. 3201, the role of surface water, water quality, demand and supply management, institutional credible organization, and the role of beneficiaries.
