Inventory of managed aquifer recharge schemes in Latin America and the Caribbean

Abstract

Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) is being used worldwide as a tool to overcome distinct water management challenges. An analysis of MAR case studies from different countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) was carried out as part of a larger study focused on the compilation of a global inventory of MAR schemes which aims at providing guidance for the planning and implementation of new MAR projects. The MAR case studies were collected from freely available scientific publications. These were classified according to the specific MAR type developed, main objective and the source of the influent water. Most reported cases (>60%) were found in Brazil, followed by Mexico and Chile. The main MAR type reported in LAC is in-channel modification, which represents more than half of the reported MAR schemes, and the main influent water used is river water and storm water (together accounting for >90% of cases). Approximately two-thirds of the MAR cases in LAC were developed to maximize natural storage. Publication of freely available scientific reports on MAR in LAC is scarce; however, this is not due to lack of MAR projects, but rather suggests insufficient motivation in sharing experiences with the international scientific community. Nevertheless, MAR has been successfully implemented in at least ten LAC countries. For four of these, estimates of annual recharge volume are available—Mexico (156 Mm3), Cuba (115 Mm3), Peru (36 Mm3) and Costa Rica (4 Mm3)—and a further 30 Mm3 are crudely but conservatively calculated for the remaining LAC countries (mostly in Brazil) bringing the total to approximately 340 Mm3. The application of MAR is expected to grow further as a sustainable and reliable tool to address challenges related to climate, population and economic changes.