Artifical Recharge of Ground Water in Colorado

• Year: 2004
• Title: Artificial Recharge of Ground Water in Colorado
• Author: Colorado Geological Survey Department of Natural Resources
• Description: A Statewide Assessment 2004
• Publications - Doc Type: Other

Artificial Recharge of Ground Water in Colorado
A Statewide Assessment
SOIL AQUIFER TREATMENT
METHOD A: Geopurification through the unsaturated zone
Extraction
Well
Infiltration Interface
Percolation Basin
Removal of: _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Nitrate Soil
Water Suspended sediment I percolation 1
table Bacteria + Zone
Viruses _
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A uifer �'•... O .v..0'•:n• o:Q a: G?:
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METHOD B: Geopurification through the saturated zone
Extraction Injection
Well S Well
Water
table Stream .
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Figure III -5. Schematic diagram illustrating two mechanisms of soil aquifer treatment. As water moves through the
unsaturated or saturated portions of the subsurface, it is subjected to physical, chemical, and biological treatment process
termed geopurification.
Restore /Protect Aquifers
Unless mitigated, excessive ground -water extraction can decrease the usefulness of an aquifer
over time due to water -level declines. AR can maintain the long -term viability of an aquifer:
• Restoring ground -water levels — Recharging more water than is recovered can
reverse, or stabilize, water -level declines. The primary result of ground -water
extraction at rates exceeding natural recharge is widespread water -level decline in the
aquifer. AR can reverse or stabilize this trend. Figure III -6a thru c compares the
hydrographs of an ASR well, observation well, and nearby production well in the
Denver Basin where a regional water -level decline is evident. Frequent recharge
cycles at the injection well offset the regional decline trend.
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