Paper: 'Estimating Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) Regional and Local Suitability: A Case Study in Washington State, USA'

Here's a paper published by my doctoral student Maria T. Gibson with me and Dave Nazy as co-authors:   Estimating Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) Regional and Local Suitability: A Case Study in Washington State, USA.

Download Hydrology-05-00007

Abstract 
Developing aquifers as underground water supply reservoirs is an advantageous approach applicable to meeting water management objectives. Aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) is a direct injection and subsequent withdrawal technology that is used to increase water supply storage through injection wells. Due to site-specific hydrogeological quantification and evaluation to assess ASR suitability, limited methods have been developed to identify suitability on regional scales that are also applicable at local scales. This paper presents an ASR site scoring system developed to qualitatively assess regional and local suitability of ASR using 9 scored metrics to determine total percent of ASR suitability, partitioned into hydrogeologic properties, operational considerations, and regulatory influences. The development and application of a qualitative water well suitability method was used to assess the potential groundwater response to injection, estimate suitability based on predesignated injection rates, and provide cumulative approximation of statewide and local storage prospects. The two methods allowed for rapid assessment of ASR suitability and its applicability to regional and local water management objectives at over 280 locations within 62 watersheds in Washington, USA. It was determined that over 50% of locations evaluated are suitable for ASR and statewide injection potential equaled 6400 million liters per day. The results also indicate current limitations and/or potential benefits of developing ASR systems at the local level with the intent of assisting local water managers in strategic water supply planning.

Cutting to the chase...

Conclusions
This study was designed to determine the suitability of ASR in Washington, USA on regional and local scales. The use of two methods to produce meaningful results can be utilized by state agencies, watershed councils, local government agencies, and water managers. By partitioning total percent of suitability into hydrogeologic properties, regulatory influences, and operational considerations, one can easily determine which factors can be improved upon to increase the likelihood of a successful ASR scheme, and to recognize limitations. Although detailed site-specific field investigations are a requirement to estimate the extent of suitability, results suggest ASR is a viable option for statewide expansion, to supplement current water storage within many watersheds, and provide information on where further field investigations can be targeted. Due to limited data requirements, the site scoring system and water well suitability method is adaptable, and should prove applicable to water practitioners in regions with and without provincial datasets.

Maria gave me more credit than I deserve. She did an excellent job. This work would not have gotten done without Dave Nazy, who did much of his work when he was with the Washington Department of Ecology.

 

Enjoy!

 

"The science of hydrology would be relatively simple if water were unable to penetrate below the earth's surface." - Harold E. Thomas

Comments

[Michael]

Missed this one – thanks!