Aquifer Storage and Recovery: Recent Hydrogeological Advances and System Performance

Abstract

Aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) is part of the solution to the global problem of managing water resources to meet existing and future freshwater demands. However, the metaphoric ''ASR bubble'' has been burst with the realization that ASR systems are more physically and chemically complex than the general conceptualization. Aquifer heterogeneity and fluid-rock interactions can greatly affect ASR system performance. The results of modeling studies and field experiences indicate that more sophisticated data collection and solute-transport modeling are required to predict how stored water will migrate in heterogeneous aquifers and how fluid-rock interactions will affect the quality of stored water. It has been well-demonstrated, by historic experience, that ASR systems can provide very large volumes of storage at a lesser cost than other options. The challenges moving forward are to improve the success rate of ASR systems, optimize system performance, and set expectations appropriately. Water Environ. Res., 78, 2428Res., 78, (2006.

Technical review and evaluation of the economics of water desalination: Current and future challenges for better water supply sustainability

“…For utilization of idle power to produce water via RO or MVC, the additional produced water can be stored in aquifers and recovered when demand is higher, thereby increasing overall system efficiency and reducing cost [27].…”

Assessing risk of clogging in community scale managed aquifer recharge sites for drinking water in the coastal plain of south-west Bangladesh

“…However, using separate injection and recovery wells is desirable to improve stored waterquality by providing additional residence time and to take advantage of aquifer filtration in addition to operational perspective (Maliva et al 2006) which has been achieved in the current research as a small diameter abstraction well has been placed in the centre of the large diameter infiltration wells. Operational and experimental results indicate that concentrations of some contaminants e.g., disinfection byproducts, nutrients, and microorganisms are decreases by natural inorganic and microbiological processes during storage (Pyne 2002, McQuarrie and Carlson 2003, Pavelic et al 2005.…”

Assessment of Managed Aquifer Recharge through Modeling—A Review

“…Modeling is usually performed during the approval or planning phase of a MAR system to evaluate its feasibility at a suggested site (Feasibility). Further investigations may assess the optimal design of the system (Design) and whether it will meet performance objectives prior to the construction of field-scale systems [4,17]. The optimization of MAR systems (Optimization) which includes assessing optimal infiltration and recovery schedules is another aspect of MAR planning.…”

“…Especially in arid or semi-arid regions the natural recharge is often not enough to meet the local water demand leading to over-exploitation of the groundwater resource and as a consequence to decreasing water tables and increasing salinization [3]. The storage of water in surface reservoirs is widespread but it has several disadvantages such as high evaporation losses, high land area requirements, sediment accumulation, the possibility of structural failure and high vulnerability to contamination [1,4,5]. An alternative to surface storage is storing excess water underground during periods of low demand or high availability to use it later in times of shortages [4,6,7].…”

“…The storage of water in surface reservoirs is widespread but it has several disadvantages such as high evaporation losses, high land area requirements, sediment accumulation, the possibility of structural failure and high vulnerability to contamination [1,4,5]. An alternative to surface storage is storing excess water underground during periods of low demand or high availability to use it later in times of shortages [4,6,7]. In contrast to other recharge types such as natural or incidental recharge, managed aquifer recharge (MAR) is the intentional recharge of water into aquifers for future recovery or environmental benefits [1,3].…”