TRANSBOUNDARY AQUIFERS:
DO INTERNATIONAL BORDERS SERVE AS
POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE FLOW BOUNDARIES?
While a substantial body of research has been produced on transboundary
waters, transboundary water law, and mitigation of transboundary water
conflict, this research has focused almost exclusively on surface water
supplies. Groundwater management in the international arena is in its
infancy. Few states or countries regulate the use of groundwater. Much
of the growth in groundwater use and the “silent trade”
of hazardous waste are occurring across international borders. Media
reports reveal that the potential for conflict and a greedy "race
to the pumps” continues to rise with time. The National Groundwater
Association Transboundary Aquifer Interest Group indicates that “designer-water”
companies are planning to export groundwater over vast distances for
global exportation and economic gain. And the impacts of international
trade agreements on local jurisdiction and management of water is just
beginning to be recognized.
The hidden nature of groundwater and the lack of international law
governing shared aquifers invite misunderstandings leading to conflict.
The uncertainty associated with managing a hidden resource requires
rethinking of groundwater management as the intensity of development
increases with increased need for food security. The simple use of the
common property theory is not sufficient to develop general principles
for groundwater management. This is because the interaction between
hydrogeology and social boundaries makes the common property nature
of groundwater less straightforward than is commonly assumed.
Oregon State University is an active participant in this dynamic and
multi-faceted arena of groundwater research. Researchers within the
Department of Geosciences presented their work at the 2000 meeting of
the National Groundwater Association special session on transboundary
aquifers, the Valencia International Symposium on Intensive Use of Groundwater
held in 2002 in Valencia, Spain, the 2003 CGIAR Challenge Program Baseline
Conference in Nairobi, Kenya, and at the technical sessions on transboundary
aquifers at the 2003 meetings of the Geological Society of America in
Seattle, Washington and the National Groundwater Association EXPO in
Orlando, Florida.
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University. Software and web technology developed at NACSE.
