94 Geoscience and Water: How Geoscience Affects Water-Related Public Policy–Past, Present, and Future
A session highlighting how applied geoscience research affects water policy and management at local to international scales.
Monday, 20 October 2025
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
HBGCC, 302B
Data-Driven Recovery: Groundwater Management in Coastal NC
Paper number: 94-11
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 10:45 AM – 11:00 AM
Authors
Abstract
The Central Coastal Plain Capacity Use Area (CCPCUA), established under North Carolina Rule 15A NCAC 02E .0501–.0507, is a regulatory framework designed to ensure the sustainable use of the region’s deeply confined Cretaceous aquifers. Enacted in 2002, CCPCUA prohibits groundwater withdrawal rates that exceed natural recharge, aiming to preserve long-term aquifer productivity. Two decades later, groundwater levels in the area's most vulnerable aquifers have not only stabilized but exceeded projected recovery thresholds. This presentation traces the evolution of CCPCUA from geoscientific research to regulatory implementation, highlighting the pivotal role applied geoscience played in shaping water policy and informing sustainable groundwater management.
Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 57, No. 6
doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-412718
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