Welcome
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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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. Abstract submission and early-bird registration extended until 31 August 2023. 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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Online seminar on MAR organised by the European Federation of Geologists (EFG)On 15 November 2022, the European Federation of Geologists (EFG) is organising the webinar ‘Tackling the 21st Century Water Quality Challenges for Managed Aquifer Recharge‘. The event is scheduled for 13:00 – 14:00 CET (Brussels time). The speaker is Prof. Yan Zheng of IAH-MAR Commission. Her talk will highlight the recent essay appeared in Hydrogeology Journal. For more information click here. Register for the free webinar at the following link: https://bit.ly/3D5Kewe |
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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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Online seminar: Groundwater recharge through dug wellsWaterAid India endeavoured to access the efficacy and impact of artificial (managed) aquifer recharge using abandoned dug-wells in rural and semi-urban areas. Join top professionals, policymakers, academicians and civil society members to discuss and exchange ideas on the work and impact of this project. When: Friday, 22 July 2022, 2:30 – 5:00 pm IST. Join using this link: https://bit.ly/3RA67dk. |
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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. |
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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Call for papers: ISMAR 11´s Post-conference Journal, Water special issue (MDPI)Selected papers presented at ISMAR 11 will be published in a Special Issue of the open-access journal WATER, continuing the tradition from previous symposia, including ISMAR 10. Submission is open for all ISMAR 11 participants, as well as 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 will be available in electronic format and as part of a printed book. Some vouchers are available as waivers or discounts on article processing charges (APCs). Qualifying manuscripts will be selected by the guest editors. The Special Issue is already open for contributions. For more details visit: https://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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