A presentation on the challenges and opportunities of groundwater governance in Tonga by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources at the Groundwater Governance: A Global Framework for Action Regional Consultation for Asia and the Pacific Region that was held in China.
Groundwater is the primary water source on the island Tutuila in American Samoa, and accurate
quantification of groundwater availability is essential for well-informed management of this limited
resource. A water budget approach using SWB2, a soil water-balance model was applied to Tutuila
with the primary objective of calculating spatially and temporally distributed net-infiltration, which
directly controls groundwater recharge rate. Other water budget components such as
Groundwater is the primary water source on the island Tutuila in American Samoa, and accurate
quantification of groundwater availability is essential for well-informed management of this limited
resource. A water budget approach using SWB2, a soil water-balance model was applied to Tutuila
with the primary objective of calculating spatially and temporally distributed net-infiltration, which
directly controls groundwater recharge rate. Other water budget components such as
On Tutuila, the main island in the Territory of American Samoa, sustainable water
resources management is a high priority. Groundwater provides drinking water to over 90%
of the island’s residents. However the sustainability of this resource is threatened by overuse,
salinization of wells, and reduction of water quality—potentially due to prevalent non-point
pollution sources. Proposed solutions to these and other water issues on the island involve
exploration for new groundwater sources with lower contamination potential and