Control of land use and groundwater quality in Colorado and Sweden

• The aim of this research is to shed light upon the organization and the system of regulations adopted by modern, industrialized societies in the interactive fields of land use and groundwater. By studying groundwater, long-term perspectives become more clear. The following questions are examined.Are there adequate rules (e.g., laws, regulations, requirements) to govern and regulate land use in order to prevent adverse changes in groundwater quality?Which are the dominating decison maker perspectives concerning the interaction between land use and changes in groundwater quality?To what extent do the current organizational and administrative processes consider knowledge and information about land use impacts on groundwater quality.This study has shown that legal tools are available and administrative responsibilities are defined for most of the land use activities discussed. One important exception is farming, for which no permits are requested and no conditions are proclaimed. Certain point actlvities involving risk for groundwater pollution may also remain unregulated.Even though different sectorial perspectives are favored by legislation, in Colorado and Sweden, it has been found that the dominating decision maker perspectives of land use is related to building activities.In conclusion, the efforts by society to protect groundwater from being contaminated from ongoing actlvities are not well organized and coordinated. Neither legal requirements nor administrative management are effective since they do not prevent land use activities from jeopardizing groundwater quality once a permit is given or general requirements are fulfilled.

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Annan samhällsvetenskap -- Tvärvetenskapliga studier inom samhällsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Other Social Sciences -- Social Sciences Interdisciplinary (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Land use

groundwater quality

organization

legislation

perspectives of the decision makers

plan

planning process

INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH AREAS

TVÄRVETENSKAPLIGA FORSKNINGSOMRÅDEN

Publication and Content Type

vet (subject category)

dok (subject category)