Abstract
Excerpt: Aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) is the underground storage of water using wells during periods of excess supply for later use during periods when demand exceeds supply. The advantages of ASR as a water resource management tool are compelling because it can provide very large volumes of storage at a small fraction of the cost of other storage options, such as tanks and surface reservoirs. However, ASR is not a panacea for water resources management. Not all ASR systems are created equal in their water resources benefits. For an ASR system to be of hydrologic value, it must create a water resource that would not otherwise be available. In other words, the injection of fresh water must result in the useful storage of fresh water.