UC Santa Barbara

Principles of sustainable groundwater exploitation are presented in this article. The renewable and inappropriable nature of groundwater is examined in light of the process of recharge. An example illustrates the interplay among groundwater extraction, recharge, natural recharge, and storage. It demonstrates the aquifer-specific characteristics of overdraft and replenishment, which are driven by climatic variability and the rate of groundwater mining. A second example uses game theoretic methodology to quantify the roles of cooperation and non-cooperation on groundwater extraction. The economic and environmental advantages of cooperative groundwater extraction are demonstrated with data from a coastal aquifer.