The Good Gift is dedicated to safeguarding an unseen lifeline in central Maryland:

The Piedmont Sole Source Aquifer

Through education and proactive stewardship we aim to protect vital groundwater resources that sustain our rural communities.

Why Groundwater Matters

  • Approximately 130 million people in the United States rely on groundwater for drinking and agricultural use.

  • Groundwater helps grow our food. In the United States, 64% of groundwater is used for irrigation to grow crops.

  • In Maryland 1.42 million residents depend on groundwater as their primary water source.

  • Approximately 30,000 homes, farms, and businesses depend on the Piedmont Sole Source Aquifer for their water supply.

  • Groundwater is a source of recharge for lakes, rivers and wetlands.

“The atmosphere, the earth, the water, and the water cycle, those are good gifts. We have to regard them as gifts because we couldn’t make them. We have to regard them as good gifts because we couldn’t live without them. ”
— Wendell Berry

Find Out if You’re in the Piedmont SSA

Use the EPA’s interactive map of Sole Source Aquifers to see if you receive water from the Piedmont SSA.

“Our Aquifer is the bloodstream for farms in the Agricultural Reserve. It’s what sustains us. ”

— Gene Kingsbury, Kingsbury’s Orchard

Publications

  • Poolesville Aquifer Study

    Read the findings of our detailed study on the Poolesville water supply and the impacts of climate change on the Piedmont SSA.

    Prepared by hydrologist
    Pat Hammond.

    Download Here

  • Groundwater Survey Results

    Explore the findings from our recent groundwater survey, highlighting key insights into groundwater use, conservation habits, and community concerns. Download the full report to learn about the challenges and opportunities for protecting the aquifer.

    Read Here

  • Plenty Magazine

    Part I: The water that sustains the Ag Reserve and the communities that surround it in Plenty Magazine. 

    Click Here

  • Plenty Magazine

    Part 2: Being good stewards of our sole source aquifer in the Fall issue of Plenty Magazine.

    Access Here

It has been dry out there

October 2024 has been the second warmest on record according to NOAA. Despite some rainfall the area continues to be in a moderate drought or abnormally dry. This makes it harder for the aquifer to recharge. Local wells struggle to keep pace with demand. Burns bans are in effect across the state. Learn about ways to conserve water at home. Every drop counts!

Graph of flow data at Point of Rocks for the year 2024
Graph by U.S. Geological Survey

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