As Johnson County weighs the future of developing large AI data centers, local leaders, hydrogeologists, and environmental advocates agree on a shared concern: the state does not have enough groundwater monitoring data to fully understand the long-term health of its aquifers.
Greg Brennan, a hydrogeologist for the Iowa Geological Survey, presented water-level data for the Silurian aquifer, the aquifer Johnson County draws from, to Solon residents on Feb. 16.
He said experts from the Iowa Geological Survey concluded that while the aquifer isn’t in immediate danger, more monitoring is needed to understand local variations and plan for long-term water use…