Groundwater collective management systems: the United States experience

Groundwater management in the USA is diverse and decentralized making generalizations sometimes difficult. In many areas groundwater is managed well under permit systems that prevent wasteful overuse and allow planned development. In other areas individuals are free to pump water with few restrictions and sometimes with wasteful consequences. This chapter provides an overview of collective groundwater management systems used in the USA by summarizing the types of systems in place and the advantages and disadvantages of each system. It concludes with an examination of what can be learned from the groundwater management experience in the USA and suggestions for the development of future groundwater management systems.