The myths of aquifer science have been mostly dispelled, but the mysticism of governance still lurks behind current approaches to sustainable groundwater use. Aquifers are combinations of both public and private rights, physically bound, and must be treated as elements in a complete aquifer system. The examples described in this book show that progress has been made to move from groundwater management to groundwater governance, but in only some cases has governance reached the aquifer. Unitization of oil and gas fields provides a valuable analogy to aquifers, showing an approach that bridges the science with the social and legal context, forming a negotiated, often voluntary governance system. As shown in this book, the unitization contract system could potentially be applied to aquifers across the United States and abroad.