Introduction to the Special Collection

Abstract

Unsustainable management of groundwater basins has led to groundwater depletion, with impacts to human and environmental systems that will be exacerbated by the hydrologic effects of climate change. Increasing inflows to groundwater basins through managed aquifer recharge (MAR) is a mechanism that can help bring aquifers into sustainable balance, yet in spite of significant physical potential, MAR remains underused. Increasing emphasis on the technical aspects of MAR has served to improve knowledge of the science needed to implement MAR. However, water managers often express anecdotally that institutional elements are equally important determinants, challenges, and potential drivers of MAR. In this special collection, we examine the institutional elements that enable, or gate progress on, MAR by presenting and comparing examples of successful MAR implementation from around the United States. The case studies depict the deep connection between water management objectives of MAR and institutional contexts and design. The motivations for MAR in these case studies fall into four broad categories: water supply risk management, groundwater banking, addressing interconnected groundwater and surface water, and recharge for broader aquifer or environmental benefits. In each case study, these water management objectives help determine key managerial and administrative issues that need to be addressed and accordingly the institutional shape of a MAR project. Ultimately, empirical efforts such as this special section may help demystify this process and enable more rapid adoption and diffusion of MAR.