Estimating groundwater recharge is a key component in determining the sustainable yield of groundwater resources in arid and semi-arid areas such as southern California. Estimating groundwater recharge on a regional scale requires developing a water budget that incorporates data on boundary conditions, aquifer properties, groundwater levels, and groundwater production. The hydrological budget method proposed herein is simple, cost-effective, and easy to apply. It utilizes matched pairs of groundwater level measurements, groundwater extraction data, and distributed specific yield information for estimating groundwater recharge. In this method, ARCGIS 9.0 Geostatistical and Spatial Analyst applications are used for interpolating/extrapolating and creating grids for specific yield, bedrock elevation, and raw groundwater data. The annual average groundwater recharge for the Hemet subbasin in western Riverside County, California, from 1997 to 2005 is estimated at 12.5 MCM, with wet and dry periods ranging between 14.9 MCM and 11.7 MCM, respectively. The proposed method utilizes information commonly available F. Manghi Water Resources, Western Municipal Water District,

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Water supply reliability in Southern California is facing serious problems because of reduction in the availability of water from the State Water Project and Colorado River, drought, and growing concerns about environmental restoration. Groundwater sources supply more than fifty-five percent of domestic demands in the Western Riverside County. Western Municipal Water District is planning to increase water supply reliability by expanding the Arlington Desalter production which requires additional groundwater pumping from the Arlington Basin. Western was concerned that increasing groundwater pumping will cause excessive decline in groundwater levels, leading to decreased yields at existing Desalter wells. Three-dimensional groundwater flow model was developed for the Arlington Basin to investigate different water management strategies. Five groundwater management scenarios were run for a 30-year time period. The five model runs were used to determine the feasibility of the Arlington aquifer system to supply groundwater to the Arlington Desalter over the 30-year life of the facility. Model simulation results showed that long-term groundwater pumping from the existing Desalter wells is not sustainable without artificial recharge. However two of the modeling scenarios which incorporated a combination of artificial recharge and new production wells, were shown to meet the increased Desalter yield requirements as well as minimize adverse impacts.

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