A conversion of several factors, some natural and some self-imposed, is leading to recognition that the State of Iowa needs a plan to safeguard groundwater reserves in the future.

The field of hydrogeology (hydro- meaning water, and -geology meaning the study of the earth) is the area of geology that deals with the distribution and movement of groundwater in the subsurface. Groundwater can be an abstract idea to folks because it is occurs below ground and cannot be directly observed.