This month’s txH2O highlight was chosen with Groundwater Awareness Week (March 11-15) in mind. Underground and Under Scrutiny from the Summer 2014 groundwater issue of txH2O examines the options for keeping the growing number of residents in Texas supplied with water.
Groundwater is a major water supply source for residents in Texas, but groundwater supplies are projected to decrease because of depletion from the Ogallala Aquifer and the Gulf Coast Aquifer.
A solution to aquifer depletion that is gaining popularity among water districts is aquifer storage and recovery (ASR).
According to the article, ASR systems inject excess water into aquifers and pull it back out in times of need, storing water more efficiently than surface reservoirs by avoiding evaporation.
Some other topics discussed in this article include desalinating brackish groundwater, groundwater management and ownership, factors influencing groundwater recharge and the impact of more frequent and intense climate extremes.
Read more about these topics in the full article, Underground and Under Scrutiny.