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resource management:
conjunctive use
The coordinated use of groundwater and surface
water is commonly termed "conjunctive use." It is an effective method for increasing the
availability and reliability of overall water supply.
In a conjunctive use setting, the groundwater
aquifer is actively managed to recharge surplus surface water during wet
years; this stored water is extracted in dry years to supplement or replace
surface water supplies.
Conjunctive use planning requires an integrated
evaluation of the surface water and groundwater resources in the basin.
Several key issues need to be carefully studied before adopting a
conjunctive use strategy.
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availability of storage in the aquifer(s);
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transmissive characteristics and retention capacity of the
aquifer(s);
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production capacity of the aquifer(s);
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natural recharge of the aquifer(s);
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potential for induced natural recharge of the aquifer(s);
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potential for artificial recharge of the aquifer(s)
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stream aquifer interactions;
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water quality of groundwater in the aquifer;
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water quality of the recharge water;
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safe yield of the aquifer;
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system response characteristics of the groundwater system;
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economic and environmental benefits of conjunctive use.
At WRIME, Inc., we have expertise in
both conjunctive use plan development and in using the analytical tools/models
that are necessary to evaluate the management options.
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