Chapter 8 - Delineation of spring protection zones

Abstract

Freshwater from springs is the prime example of a renewable natural resource: It can be used and the infiltration of rainwater or meltwater in the catchment will renew it—as long as the climate does not change dramatically, which it may do, however. One of the most obvious ways to waste this resource is groundwater contamination. Therefore, the delineation of spring protection zones and the implementation of proper land-use practices in these zones, resulting in a reduction of polluting activities, are keys to the sustainable use of these valuable drinking water resources. Most human activities cause contamination. Reasonable land-use planning consists of finding a balance between groundwater protection, on the one hand, and human activities, such as agriculture and industry, on the other. Groundwater protection must be a high priority in zones where contamination can easily enter the aquifer and affect a spring or pumping well used for the drinking water supply of a large population. The challenge of protection zoning is to identify these zones and assign them high priority. However, even in less sensitive zones, polluting activities should be minimized as much as possible. Groundwater resources that are not used at present should be protected for possible future use; furthermore, clean groundwater is also crucial for groundwater-dependent ecosystems and the “hidden biodiversity” in aquifers. Another element of proper groundwater protection schemes is the evaluation of the importance of the groundwater or springwater for use as drinking water, for connected surface water ecosystems, or for other purposes. A large number of national and international legislations and guidelines deal with the delineation of groundwater source and resource protection zones.