Recharge and Recovery Through Wells
#technicalexcellence
Russell Martin, WGAs Principal Hydrogeologist and technical expert in managed aquifer recharge, is co-presenter of Recharge and Recovery Through Wells at this year’s ISMAR-11 (International Symposium on Managed Aquifer Recharge) Conference in Long Beach, California.
The ISMAR conference is the world’s preeminent symposium on managed aquifer recharge (MAR), with delegates from over 28 countries attending.
With the continued unsustainable overuse of groundwater in many areas of the world, managed aquifer recharge, or the intentional recharge of groundwater aquifers, is an essential tool in restoring, maintaining, and developing resilient groundwater supplies for the future.
Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) uses various methods to intentionally recharge water to aquifers for subsequent use or environmental benefit. Effectively applied MAR integrates the management of surface and groundwater resources to achieve security of supply while ensuring public health and environmental protection. MAR compliments traditional water supplies and provides storage and treatment for all available water resources, such as natural water sources (surface water, groundwater), recycled water (urban stormwater, industrial or urban wastewater) or desalinated seawater.
Multiple MAR methods are used to recharge aquifers, including injection wells or infiltration structures such as ponds, basins, galleries, and trenches. However, MAR is a technology that can be quite complex, with many technical and legal issues addressed. These systems’ successful implementation and operation require a multi-disciplinary approach involving experienced practitioners enabling systems to operate at optimum recharge capacity and avoid over or under capitalisation, especially in the early investigation stages.
In his presentation, Russell highlights technical, scientific, engineering design, and other issues for consideration when developing managed aquifer recharge (MAR) systems that utilise wells, whether aquifer recharge (AR) wells, aquifer storage recovery (ASR) wells or aquifer storage transfer recovery ASTR) wells.