Weekly Wave: Reflections: Water, Recharge, and Life

Managed aquifer recharge (MAR), the term commonly used for the practice of storing water underground, often for later recovery or use, is a widely deployed water management tool. Through legislative action and regulatory programs, Arizona has established a robust program of MAR project permitting and stored water accounting, which facilitates the utilization of MAR. Notably, the Arizona Water Banking Authority has stored millions of acre-feet of Colorado River water in aquifers for recovery during times of shortage. Tucson Water has positioned itself well to deal with cutbacks in Central Arizona Project (CAP) deliveries by relying on recharge and recovery of CAP water to supply its customers and store the water it receives in excess of customer demand. And there are many other examples of how Arizona’s storage and recovery framework has enabled cost-effective approaches to meeting water management objectives.