Decentralized Groundwater Recharge Systems Using Roofwater and Stormwater Runoff¹

Abstract

Stormwater capture for groundwater recharge in urban areas is usually conducted at the regional level by water agencies. Field and modeling studies in New Mexico indicate that stormwater diverted to retention basins may recharge about 50% of precipitation that falls on the developed area, even in dry climates. Comparable volumes of recharge may be expected at homes, subdivisions, or commercial properties with low-impact development (LID) technologies for stormwater control that promote recharge over evapotranspiration. Groundwater quality has not been significantly impacted at sites that have been recharging stormwater to aquifers for decades. Distributed recharge systems may be a good alternative to centralized regional facilities where there is limited land for constructing spreading basins or little funding for new infrastructure. LID technologies borrowed from stormwater managers are important tools for groundwater managers to consider to enhance recharge.(KEY TERMS: runoff; stormwater management; sustainability; water conservation; low-impact development; aquifer storage and recovery; managed aquifer recharge; artificial recharge.)

Life cycle assessment of low impact development technologies combined with conventional centralized water systems for the City of Atlanta, Georgia

“…Additionally, implementing LID technologies creates green spaces, which reduce heat stress mortality, and increase property value and recreational opportunities [11,12]. Rainwater harvesting technology converts stormwater runoff into a water resource, which can be used for groundwater recharge and nonpotable purposes such as irrigation, toilet flushing, and laundry [13][14][15][16][17]. Farreny et al (2011) analyzed the cost-benefit of four rooftop rainwater harvesting strategies in new or retrofit construction for: (1) residential neighborhoods of singlefamily homes, and (2) multi-story buildings [18].…”

Untangling the effects of urban development on subsurface storage in Baltimore

“…Observed decreases in groundwater recharge or base flow with urban development have been attributed to factors such as reduced infiltration due to connected impervious surfaces [ Ku et al ., ; Konrad et al ., ; Hardison et al ., ], increased groundwater withdrawals [ Roach et al ., ], export of locally supplied water to wastewater treatment plants [ Pluhowski and Spinello , ; Simmons and Reynolds , ], or infiltration of groundwater into wastewater collection systems. Other studies have observed increases in groundwater recharge or base flow with urbanization that is credited to water supply pipe leakage [ Lerner , ], reduced evapotranspiration, focused recharge of storm water infiltration [ Ku et al ., ; Appleyard , ; Stephens et al ., ; Hogan et al ., ], recovery from industrial groundwater pumping [ Vázquez‐Suñé et al ., ], or discharge of wastewater from imported or confined water supply [ Burns et al ., ; Townsend‐Small et al ., ]. Where a range of these features was present and the increases and decreases nearly balanced out, or the effects on urban development were small compared to predevelopment recharge, little effect was observed from urban development on groundwater recharge or base flow [ Ferguson and Suckling , ; Barringer et al ., ; Yang et al ., ; Kim et al ., ; Trowsdale and Lerner , ; Brandes et al ., ; Meyer , ; Roy et al ., ].…”

Coupling distributed stormwater collection and managed aquifer recharge: Field application and implications

“…LID collects runoff close to the source in small structures, generally in urban areas. While costs can be modest, individual LID projects infiltrate relatively little:~10 3 m 3 /yr (~1 ac-ft/yr) (Stephens et al, 2012;Grebel et al, 2013;Newcomer et al, 2014;Bhaskar et al, 2016;Chen et al, 2016). Regional spreading grounds infiltrate excess surface and/or recycled water from large regions, collecting and routing water with dams and other large infrastructure.…”