9 - Application to an Aquifer System

Summary

The Harney Valley in eastern Oregon could suffer from the same groundwater issues experienced in many places across the globe. The Oregon state government has begun efforts to investigate and determine whether regulatory action is needed to conserve groundwater in the region. As a theoretical example, an aquifer unitization agreement for the Harney Valley would include the same components as those found in the oil and gas context. Unitization of the Harney Valley’s aquifer resources could enable expanded development of transresources or collective solutions that state regulation alone could not achieve.