Groundwater in Crisis? Addressing Groundwater Challenges in Michigan (USA) as a Template for the Great Lakes

Groundwater historically has been a critical but understudied, underfunded, and underappreciated natural resource, although recent challenges associated with both groundwater quantity quality have raised its profile. This is particularly true in the Laurentian Great Lakes (LGL) region, where rich abundance of surface water results perception an unlimited supply limited attention on resources. As consequence, management recommendations LGL severely constrained by our lack information. To address this information gap, virtual summit was held June 2021 that included invited participants from local, state, federal government entities, universities, non-governmental organizations, private firms region. Both technical (e.g., hydrologists, geologists, ecologists) policy experts were included, assigned to agricultural, urban, or coastal wetland breakout group advance, based their expertise. The overall goals fourfold: (1) inventory key (grand) facing Michigan; (2) identify knowledge gaps scientific needs, as well recommendations, these challenges; (3) construct set conceptual models elucidate (4) develop list (tractable) next steps can be taken challenges. Absent type information, sustainability resource imperiled.