Welcome
Attendees at ISMAR10, Madrid, May 2019 – the latest triennial symposium of IAH-MAR, UNESCO and ASCE
Welcome to the website of the International Association of Hydrogeologists Commission on Managing Aquifer Recharge (IAH-MAR). Here you can discover what our working groups are doing and contribute to their current projects, you can download resources on MAR, connect with people, get information on symposia coming up, and join our email list to stay informed of latest news. We also have sister sites in Spanish and Chinese.
Managed Aquifer Recharge
Managed aquifer recharge, also called groundwater replenishment, water banking and artificial recharge, is the purposeful recharge of water to aquifers for subsequent recovery or environmental benefit. It embraces methods such as riverbank filtration, stream bed weirs, infiltration ponds and injection wells, and uses natural water sources and appropriately treated urban stormwater, sewage and other waste waters to increase groundwater storage, protect and improve water quality,and secure drought and emergency supplies. Its growing scientific base supports its rapidly increasing use as a vital management tool in the sustainable use of the world’s water resources.
Latest News
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3rd Newsletter of the 12th International Symposium on Managed Aquifer Recharge (ISMAR12), 28 April – 2 May 2025The local organising committee just released the third newsletter of ISMAR12 symposium with fresh information about the conference preparations, news, deadlines and much more. Download the newsletter here. |
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Symposium on Managed Aquifer Recharge in Middle East, Amman, Jordan, 19 November 2024The “Symposium on Managed Aquifer Recharge in Middle East” will take place in Amman, Jordan, on 19 November 2024. The symposium is being organised by the Royal Scientific Society, Jordan, and the University of Applied Sciences Dresden (HTW Dresden) in collaboration with the MEWAC-FEMAR project consortium. The symposium is aimed at researchers, academics, professionals, decision-makers, NGOs, enterprises/service-providers and civil society stakeholders in the field of water resources interested in integrated water resources management (IWRM), MAR/RBF and the water nexus. The objectives are to:
Everyone interested in MAR/RBF – young as well as experienced engineers, students, researchers, scientists, project managers, decision makers are welcome to participate. Participation in the workshop is free of cost but is limited to 35 persons on a first-come first-serve basis. Therefore, prior registration is necessary. The venue will be confirmed to the registered participants. Participants have the possibility to present at the symposium, depending on their topic and availability of slots. For more information and registration see the event flyer. |
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IMMINENT! IAH-MAR Commission plenary (online). 2024 October 1st, 15:30 h CET.The IAH-MAR Commission is organizing a plenary meeting during each of the annual IAH Congresses. During IAH 2024 there was not and our meeting will take place online to allow participation from all MAR community members. Our online plenary will take place 2024 October 1st, 15:30-17:00 CET. AGENDA: Everybody is invited to participate and welcome. The registration link for the meeting is: https://tu-dresden.zoom-x.de/meeting/register/u5YsfuuhqzkoGNAlH6mgKHQKwKv4ghGWId3_ After registration, you will receive the link to the online meeting. |
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MAR session at AGU2024 in Washington, USA, 9-13 December 2024This year’s Annual Meeting of the American Geophysical Union (AGU2024) will take place in Washington between 9-13 December 2024 with the theme “What’s Next for Science”. The conference includes also a session on MAR: “H017 – Advances in Managed Aquifer Recharge for Groundwater Sustainability“. The session will be chaired by Helen E Dahlke (University of California Davis), and co-chaired by Sarah Fakhreddine (Carnegie Mellon University), Deborah Leslie (University of Memphis) and Doug Beak (Environmental Protection Agency Ada). Submit an abstract to this session and contribute to MAR promotion during AGU2024. |
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12th International Symposium on Managed Aquifer RechargeFrom Theory to Implementation and Operation 28 April – 2 May 2025 – Stellenbosch, South Africa The 12th International Symposium on Managed Aquifer Recharge (ISMAR12) will be held in the wine heartland of South Africa, Stellenbosch, from 28 April to 2 May 2025. The main theme “From Theory to Implementation and Operation” places the focus on the latest research, implementation of MAR sites and the practicality of operating MAR schemes. The 8 Sub-themes cover multiple aspects in the field of MAR in the domestic/municipal, agricultural, and mining sectors. Oral and Poster presentations, multiple workshops and social interactions will allow the delegates to present innovative solutions and discuss pressing societal challenges. Various exhibit opportunities and sponsoring opportunities exist. Pre-conference courses will allow the delegates to gain practical knowledge for our expert presenters. 3 end-of-the-week excursions are planned to showcase the latest MAR sites and the landscape of the Cape Town and Saldanha areas with networking opportunities. https://www.ismar12.org.za/ will soon have more information and timelines. Organised by the IAH South Africa National Chapter |
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IAH-MAR Commission. Report of activities 2023The report has been submitted to IAH Executive after 2024 Easter. Please, Access the 2023 report of activities with at least one member from our Commission participating in the listed events. Notice we consider the members of this commission all those subscribed in the IAH-MAR Forum and mailing list: https://lists.flinders.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/iah-mar.listcgs Access the report: https://recharge.iah.org/files/2024/04/IAH-MAR-Annual-Report-2023-all.pdffconf. |
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International Riverbank Filtration Conference in Dresden, Germany, 16-18 October 2023Add your contribution to the field of riverbank filtration (RBF): country-specific experiences on RBF application, clogging, hydraulic design, innovative site investigation techniques, operation and management, water quality aspects, post-treatment, environmental, social, economic and policy aspects, and awareness creation. More info: https://www.htw-dresden.de/rbfconf. |
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What the Future Has in Store: A New Paradigm for Water StorageThe most recent report of World Bank Group recognises the role of water storage through managed aquifer recharge as crucial tool for climate change adaptation. The report highlights that: “What the Future Has in Store: A New Paradigm for Water Storage calls for developing and driving multi-sectoral solutions to the water storage gap, taking approaches that integrate needs and opportunities across the whole system, including natural, built, and hybrid storage, to support many instead of few, for generations to come.” Read the very interesting report here: https://bit.ly/3I3rdNj. |
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The 21st century water quality challenges for managed aquifer recharge: towards a risk-based regulatory approachThe IAH-MAR Commission has contributed to the Hydrogeology Journal’s the Year of Groundwater essay topical collection by articulating the need to designate a subsurface attenuation zone in MAR regulations so that the 21st water quality challenges can be met. Over time, a risk-based regulatory approach has advantages over a prescriptive and qualitative approach and is thus recommended. Download article: Zheng, Y., Vanderzalm, J., Hartog, N., Fernández Escalante, E., Stefan, C. (2022) The 21st century water quality challenges for managed aquifer recharge: towards a risk‐based regulatory approach. Hydrogeology Journal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-022-02543-z |
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Managed Aquifer Recharge: Overview and Governance. IAH Special Publication.Dillon, P., W. Alley, Y. Zheng, and J. Vanderzalm (editors), 2022, Managed Aquifer Recharge: Overview and Governance. IAH Special Publication (90p, 2.4 MB) This book was produced as a joint effort of IAH, UNESCO and NGWA with encouragement of the Ground Water Project and published as a Special Publication of IAH in June 2022. Its three sections written by different teams give (1) an overview of purposes, types, source waters, advantages, challenges, and essential requirements of MAR; (2) an international synthesis of policy innovations to harness and encourage MAR in water resources management for sustainability in both developing and advanced jurisdictions; and (3) an overview of water quality management strategies for health and environmental protection in MAR from a variety of starting positions and capabilities. This helps to fill the major gaps in governance arrangements for MAR identified in Zheng et al (2021). Content: Section 1 Basic Concepts of Managed Aquifer Recharge |
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IAH-MAR Commission plenary at ISMAR 11. Long Beach, CA, April 13th.April 13th has taken place our last IAH MAR Commission plenary during ISMAR 11. It has been attended by 55 “MARers”. The presentation includes an update of the whole activities on going currently. |
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International Symposium on Managed Aquifer Recharge, ISMAR 11 has finished successfully! Some facts and figures!April 11th to 15th. Long Beach, California, USA. From 2022 April 11th to 15th has taken place in Long Beach, Hilton Hotel, the 11th International Symposium on Managed Aquifer Recharge (ISMAR 11), hosted by GRA and co-hosted by AHS and OCWD; under the auspices of the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH), UNESCO and ASCE, among others, under the title: “Managed aquifer recharge: A key to sustainability”. The symposium counted on 350 delegates from 27 countries, and has had 26 technical sessions, 123 oral presentations, 7 posters, 2 keynote presentations, side events, three first day short courses, two technical field trips, one after-conference course, and plenty of knowledge. More info; https://ismar11.net/ Further information and technical/scientific releases from the conference will be posted shortly. |
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IAH-MAR Commission plenary during ISMAR 11. The current co-chairs have been re-electedThe last plenary has taken place in long Beach, Hilton hotel, last April 13th, 17 h. 54 in-person members of the MAR family were congregated according to the program exposed in the previous newsletter, and an undefined number of participants in streaming. The current co-chairs have been re-elected for the next “inter-ISMARs period”. The IAH Executive received neither more candidacies nor expressions of interest, therefore elections were not necessary, and the current co-chairs have been re-elected by the complete plenary. The co-chairs want to express gratitude for the confidence, and begin a new three-year mandate. The next elections will take place during ISMAR 12´s plenary by 2025 April 30th. Photo: IAH-MAR co-chairs, from left to right: Catalin, Yan and Enrique. |
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ISMAR 11. Certificates of appreciation 2022April 11th to 15th. Long Beach, California, USA. During ISMAR 11 plenary, five new certificates of appreciation were awarded to prominent members of the MAR Community, who have carried out tasks deserving such a recognition. It is a motivation tradition, and with these, 22 members of the MAR family count on an award, signed by our IAH President, Dr. David Kreamer, and our IAH General Secretary, Dr. Jane Dottridge. The prizes were recognized in person by our IAH President and IAH-MAR co-chairs represented by Dr. Enrique Fdez. Escalante. THE AWARDEES WERE:
CONGRATULATIONS, DEAR COLLEAGUES!! |
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Dr. Peter Dillon has received the 2022 Herman Bouwer AwardOur dear and admired former co-chair, founder of the IAH-MAR Commission and soul of this group, received the German Bouwer Award during ISMAR 11 luncheon. CONGRATULATIONS PETER!!! |
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ISMAR 11´s Post-conference Journal, Water special issue (MDPI). Finalished.Selected papers presented at ISMAR 11 have been published in a Special Issue of the open-access journal WATER, continuing the tradition from previous symposia, including ISMAR 10. Access is open for all ISMAR 11 participants, and all members of the international MAR community. The title of the special issue is: “Managed Aquifer Recharge: A key to Sustainability” and the included papers are available in electronic format. through this link: ttps://www.mdpi.com/journal/water/special_issues/Aquifer_Recharge. |
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Managing Aquifer Recharge: A Showcase for Resilience and Sustainability.
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