For Colorado and much of the West the 21st Century began with one of the most severe droughts of record. This drought helped raise the awareness of the important role that ground water, and perhaps more importantly, the aquifers that hold ground water, can have in management of water resources in this rapidly growing semi-arid region. In 2003 the Colorado Geological Survey (CGS) embarked on a statewide assessment of managed aquifer recharge (MAR) that included an inventory of existing practices at the time and went on to evaluate the geological potential for water storage in aquifers and aquifer systems across the entire state. This assessment is a cornerstone for current, more detailed investigations into widespread utilization of this water storage option.
Subsequent to, and in part as a result of, this assessment several prospects for new managed aquifer recharge projects have arisen. These projects include a detailed evaluation of MAR potential in the Arkansas and South Platte River basins and a pre-feasibility investigation identifying specific recharge sites in the Upper Black Squirrel Creek basin of El Paso County. MAR is also being introduced to the water community across the state through Colorado’s Interbasin Compact Committee Roundtable process.
Although awareness of the potential for MAR throughout the state is increasing, many challenges remain. Acceptance by communities that are traditionally surface-water dependant will depend on locating the best convergences of favorable geology, source water availability, land availability, proximity to water demand, proximity to established infrastructure, and motivated funding sources.
