ABCWUA Aquifer Storage and Recovery
Presented on Monday, March 16, 2015
Amy Ewing, P.G.1, Katherine Yuhas2 and John M. Stomp III, P.E.2, (1)Daniel B. Stephens & Associates, Inc., Albuquerque, NM, (2)Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority, Albuquerque, NM
The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority is implementing aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) projects for conjunctive management of surface and groundwater water resources using San Juan-Chama water diverted from the Rio Grande. The purpose is to recharge the Santa Fe Group aquifer system of the Middle Rio Grande Basin and to recover the water for later use.
Following successful implementation of a demonstration project using instream infiltration at Bear Canyon in 2008 and 2009, the full-scale project has been permitted by the New Mexico Office of the State Engineer. The project will now be operated on an ongoing basis, with up to 3000 acre-feet of water being recharged each year between October and March. Water will be discharged into this reach of the Bear Canyon arroyo and will infiltrate through approximately 500 feet of the unsaturated material (vadose zone) before reaching the aquifer. Recharge is scheduled to begin in October 2014.
The ABCWUA is also working to develop additional recharge projects, including the Large-Scale ASR Project, which will establish a long-term drought reserve using treated surface water from the ABCWUA’s drinking water treatment plant (DWTP). This project includes recharge demonstration using vadose zone and deep injection wells at the DWTP, and retrofit of existing production wells for use as ASR wells. This presentation discusses the 2014-2015 ABCWUA ASR project operations and future plans.
Amy Ewing, P.G.
Daniel B. Stephens & Associates, Inc., Albuquerque, NM
Amy Ewing is a Hydrogeologist at Daniel B. Stephens & Associates, specializing in water supply and conservation planning, water resources investigations, aquifer storage and recovery, and watershed restoration projects. She is a licensed Professional Geoscientist in Texas, and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Earth Science and Water Resources.
Katherine Yuhas
Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority, Albuquerque, NM
Katherine Yuhas is the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority water conservation officer.
John M. Stomp III, P.E.
Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority, Albuquerque, NM
John Stomp III holds Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Civil Engineering from the University of New Mexico. He is the Chief Operating Officer for the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority. The Water Authority provides water and wastewater services to more than 600,000 residents in the metropolitan area. Stomp has more than 18 years of experience dealing with water and wastewater issues in New Mexico and throughout the southwestern United States.
