77 Groundwater and Sustainability: Integrating Science, Technology, and Policy

Groundwater is vital for clean water and food security but faces threats from climate change, population growth, and mismanagement. Integrating science, technology, and policy fosters collaboration, innovation, and effective strategies to ensure its sustainable use for future generations.

Monday, 20 October 2025
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
HBGCC, 210AB

GA-FIT: Integrating science, technology, and policy in Southwest Georgia

Paper number: 77-7
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 9:40 AM – 9:55 AM

Authors

Abstract

Drought conditions in southwest Georgia can detrimentally impact agricultural communities and their available water supply. Water resources management and sustainability start with a foundational understanding of the geology and hydrogeology of a region. Source-switching to deeper aquifers in drought events can provide an alternative water resource; however, uncertainty often exists in the geology and hydrogeology of these aquifer systems. This presents a substantial threat to irrigation strategies and public supply. Thus, alternative water resources must be fully characterized to evaluate their effectiveness during drought conditions.  The Georgia Flow Incentive Trust (GA-FIT) facilitates the Drought Source Water Alternatives Program (Drought SWAP) in southwest Georgia, which provides production wells that access deeper aquifers for agricultural use during severe drought events. Hydrogeological characterization is crucial to identifying suitable areas for withdrawal without depleting the remaining surface water supply and the Upper Floridan aquifer, the principal groundwater source. However, the extent and interconnectivity of aquifers in the area are not fully understood. In this study, a comprehensive review and analysis of existing lithologic and hydrogeologic data was conducted to create a three-dimensional hydrostratigraphic model in southwest Georgia. The model provides an improved framework for additional ongoing analyses on aquifer connectivity, production rates, and the viability of source switching potential.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 57, No. 6

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-414562

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