Artificial recharge for conjunctive use in irrigation : the San Joaquin Valley, California

Abstract

One classical solution for dealing with surface water fluctuation is to construct a surface reservoir. However, because a surface reservoir requires too much land and has high negative impact on the environment, the use of a natural aquifer as a subsurface reservoir is proposed. In this solution, restoration of water to an aquifer requires an artificial recharge method. It is deduced that for irrigation purposes, a direct surface recharge is the most appropriate method to use because of its low cost of construction, operation and maintenance. To store water for agriculture, the capacity to recharge water within a limited time is the most important characteristic determining the feasibility of artificial recharge. Regarding a direct surface method, this capability is mainly governed by soil properties, depth to groundwater table, and spacing between two adjacent recharge areas. Under proper conditions, sufficient amounts of recharge water can store for agricultural purposes within a region. This study shows that total costs to construct, operate and maintain artificial recharge facilities are relatively low compared to the benefits that are expected from the recharge project. This implies th, - an artificial recharge scheme is a practical way to restore water to an aquifer, and use it in conjunction with surface water for irrigation.