A Brief Return to Historical Shallow Groundwater Levels
Water-table levels might seem excessive during the winter of 2009/2010, but I suggest even higher levels were once the norm here. Locals, who have long-term memory of their surroundings, widely accept in their collective knowledge that the Pinelands are drying up. I attributed this phenomenon to over-withdrawal of ground water and urbanization pressures (French & Demitroff, 2001; Demitroff. 2007), but there certainly may be more to this story. Climate change dynamics also deserve consideration.
So what do we know about playing the climate-change card? What does the future portend for shallow-ground hydrology, the life-blood of the Pinelands? A new study suggests the Northeast will experience wetter conditions!
http://live.psu.edu/story/40569
Admittedly, climatologists have a hard enough time predicting weather two-weeks out let alone conjuring up long-term prognostications. However, we do know that climate change can cut both ways – providing both additions and subtractions. With land-use planning we must consider what could happen if indeed precipitation increases and once-present wetlands reappear – even if only temporarily. Some stewards of the Pinelands accept the current drying trend to be a one-way street, and, albeit grudgingly, tolerate development upon what was once swampland. Even if wetlands desiccate for whatever reason, it is foolish to build upon their carcasses. They may return, even if only sporadically like the Richland cripple.
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/showthread.php?t=6033&page=2
I by no means want to leave the impression that groundwater withdrawal isn’t a major problem. Even if rainfall increases Pinelands shallow aquifer-levels, much like recent "flashy" streamflow (Dow, 2007: Assessing regional land-use/cover influences on New Jersey Pinelands streamflow through hydrograph analysis), will become increasingly erratic. With so much at stake, where’s the science? What ever happened to the Gibson Bill (N.J.P.L. 2001 c.165), which was supposed to assess the current sustainability of South Jersey’s aquifers? Well withdrawals are quantifiable phenomena that we can and should study. The Kirkwood-Cohansey Work Plan, part of the Gibson study will include twelve topics of interest, none of which directly address the historical context of Pinelands wetlands. I suppose there is no need to ask a question that politicians already know the answer to.
Best,
Spung-Man