Sixty years of global progress in managed aquifer recharge

Peter J Dillon ,W Wang,J Schwarz,Kyoochul Ha ,Kristijan Posavec ,Julian Xanke ,Emilio Fernàndez ,Petri Jokela ,R David G Pyne ,Jacob Bear ,José Pablo Bonilla Valverde ,R Russell Martin ,Paul Pavelic ,Pieter J Stuyfzand ,Christoph Sprenger ,Andrew Ross ,Nienke Ansems ,Gudrun Massmann ,Yan Zheng ,Adriana Palma Nava ,Rudy Rossetto ,Thomas Grischek ,Mario R Lluria ,Jac Van Der Gun ,Marie Pettenati ,Ramandeep Jain ,Mohamed Shamrukh ,Bridget R Scanlon ,Erin Murray ,Catalin Stefan ,Manuel Sapiano

doi:10.1007/s10040-018-1841-z

Abstract

The last 60 years has seen unprecedented groundwater extraction and overdraft as well as development of new technologies for water treatment that together drive the advance in intentional groundwater replenishment known as managed aquifer recharge (MAR). This paper is the first known attempt to quantify the volume of MAR at global scale, and to illustrate the advancement of all the major types of MAR and relate these to research and regulatory advancements. Faced with changing climate and rising intensity of climate extremes, MAR is an increasingly important water management strategy, alongside demand management, to maintain, enhance and secure stressed groundwater systems and to protect and improve water quality. During this time, scientific research—on hydraulic design of facilities, tracer studies, managing clogging, recovery efficiency and water quality changes in aquifers—has underpinned practical improvements in MAR and has had broader benefits in hydrogeology. Recharge wells have greatly accelerated recharge, particularly in urban areas and for mine water management. In recent years, research into governance, operating practices, reliability, economics, risk assessment and public acceptance of MAR has been undertaken. Since the 1960s, implementation of MAR has accelerated at a rate of 5%/year, but is not keeping pace with increasing groundwater extraction. Currently, MAR has reached an estimated 10 km3/year, ~2.4% of groundwater extraction in countries reporting MAR (or ~1.0% of global groundwater extraction). MAR is likely to exceed 10% of global extraction, based on experience where MAR is more advanced, to sustain quantity, reliability and quality of water supplies.

Highlights

Managed aquifer recharge (MAR), used to enhance the quantity and quality of groundwater, is a term conceived by the British hydrogeologist Ian Gale, who was the founding cochair of the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH) Commission on Managing Aquifer Recharge from 2002 to 2011 (IAH-MAR 2018a)
The rate of growth of MAR has not kept pace with the global rate of groundwater depletion, and much more needs to be done in levering from MAR to facilitate demand management and engage communities in cooperative management of groundwater resources
Development of MAR has occurred at different rates among and within countries for various reasons, including aquifer availability for MAR, the level of awareness and confidence in MAR among water stakeholders, and having clear approval processes

Summary

Introduction

Managed aquifer recharge (MAR), used to enhance the quantity and quality of groundwater, is a term conceived by the British hydrogeologist Ian Gale, who was the founding cochair of the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH) Commission on Managing Aquifer Recharge from 2002 to 2011 (IAH-MAR 2018a). Managed aquifer recharge refers to a suite of methods that is increasingly used to maintain, enhance and secure groundwater systems under stress. 60 years ago, at the time of the formation of the IAH, human intervention to increase the rate of groundwater recharge such as drainage wells for flood relief, disposal of sewage water via septic tanks

Methods

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Conclusion