Wright-Patterson Named Groundwater Guardian

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  • 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio – 2018 marked the 20th year that the Groundwater Project named Wright-Patterson Air Force Base a Groundwater Guardian.

The Groundwater Project is a charity organization that works with communities, promoting habits for clean and sustainable groundwater.

“The Installation Management team of environmental scientists and specialists partners with surrounding communities to protect the primary source of this area’s regional water supply, the Great Miami Buried Valley Aquifer,” said Karen Beason, Water Tank Program manager. “As a member of the City of Dayton’s Jurisdictional Source Water Protection Program, Wright-Patterson collaborates with other Groundwater Guardian Communities to motivate understanding the value and vulnerability of our groundwater.”

The Greater Dayton Area sits on top of an aquifer that holds approximately 1.5 trillion gallons. It is a renewable water source with water being replenished from the overlying rivers.

“Groundwater Guardian teams near Dayton, Ohio are tackling local groundwater concerns on many levels. Wright-Patterson strengthens community efforts not only through the careful monitoring of potential contaminant sources, but also by educating children and adult members of the public on the connection between groundwater, nature, and daily life,” said Sara Brock, Groundwater Foundation program manager.

Wright-Patterson is chosen each year along with other organizations and cities such as the Public Health Department of Dayton and Montgomery County, the City of Dayton, Huber Heights, Riverside, and Vandalia.

Beason said that Wright-Patterson also takes part in events such as Earth Day, Newcomer’s Orientation, shadow programs, tours, exhibits, and education outreach. Other local Groundwater Guardians get together to organize the annual City of Dayton’s Children’s Water Festival. Protecting our natural water sources is vital to ensuring that the aquifer remains a clean source of water for the future.

“These events are designed to encourage participants to adopt sound environmental values and to cultivate continued use of these concepts into positive life-long stewardship roles. The continued application of current and planned measures and controls is significant in establishing as active area-wide groundwater protection strategy for now as well as in the future,” said Beason.