Friday, 23 May | 08:00 - 11:00
Bear Canyon Recharge -- Surface Recharge for Sustainable Supply
by Francesca Shirley and Diane Agnew, Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority
In order to have a resilient supply of drinking water for the next 100 years for Albuquerque, the Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority has developed two aquifer storage and recharge sites, where surface water diverted from the Colorado River and routed through the Rio Grande is recharged into the aquifer during wet years for use during drought periods. The Bear Canyon site is an example of using natural ephemeral washes as a location for focused artificial surface recharge. During the tour, the implications of climate variability on water supply along the Rio Grande will be discussed, along with the historical and current water management practices of the city. A combination of water conservation and ASR, using groundwater as a 'savings account' drawn from during drought is key to the future of Albuquerque, and surface recharge provides one straightforward path for implementing ASR.
The tour group will depart the lobby of the Hotel Albuquerque at 8am and travel to the Bear Canyon site via arranged carpool. The tour is limited to 20 partipants. Spots for the tour will be given on a first-come/first-served basis via conference registration.
Geologic Mapping Program: Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) in Albuquerque
Mapping suitability for Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) in the Albuquerque Basin
photo credit: Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority
