Managing Groundwater Storage

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Wednesday, July 18, 2018 1:00 PM EDT | 1 hour
Series: AGI Webinars

This webinar introduced the geoscience of managing groundwater storage and recharge, discussed groundwater storage policies and research in California and Texas, and reviewed case studies and potential future developments.

Managed Aquifer Recharge in California

Background:
Groundwater is a critically important source of water in the U.S., supplying fresh water for drinking supplies, agricultural irrigation, and streams, rivers, and ecosystems. However, groundwater is becoming increasingly depleted in most aquifers around the country, with impacts including shrinking aquifer storage capacities, land subsidence (and associated impacts like higher flood risk), and declining freshwater resources for communities and ecosystems. To mitigate and reverse the depletion of groundwater storage in local aquifers, many communities are turning to managed aquifer recharge (MAR) and aquifer storage and recovery (ASR). MAR and ASR practices vary depending on local geology, groundwater and recharge water composition, local land use practices, and water use requirements. Implementing MAR and ASR requires careful planning to both maximize groundwater replenishment and protect groundwater supplies from contamination.

Our speakers are:

Thank you to our media partners, the American Geophysical Union, American Institute of Professional Geologists, American Meteorological SocietyAssociation of State Wetland Managers, Environmental and Engineering Geophysical SocietyGeological Society of America, the Geo-Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers, National Association of State Boards of Geology, National Ground Water Association, and the Soil Science Society of America.

Resources to learn more:

Search the Geological Surveys Database for reports and factsheets about groundwater.