hydrology Case Report Estimating Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) Regional and Local Suitability: A Case Study in Washington State, USA Maria T. Gibson 1,* ID , Michael E. Campana 2 and Dave Nazy 3 1 Water Resources Graduate Program, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97330, USA 2 Hydrogeology and Water Resources, College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97330, USA;
[email protected] 3 EA Engineering, Science, and Technology, INC., Olympia, WA 98508, USA;
[email protected] * Correspondence:
[email protected]; Tel.: +1-541-214-5599 Received: 21 December 2017; Accepted: 5 January 2018; Published: 12 January 2018 Abstract: Developing aquifers as underground water supply reservoirs is an advantageous approach applicable to meeting water management objectives. Aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) is a direct injection and subsequent withdrawal technology that is used to increase water supply storage through injection wells. Due to site-specific hydrogeological quantification and evaluation to assess ASR suitability, limited methods have been developed to identify suitability on regional scales that are also applicable at local scales. This paper presents an ASR site scoring system developed to qualitatively assess regional and local suitability of ASR using 9 scored metrics to determine total percent of ASR suitability, partitioned into hydrogeologic properties, operational considerations, and regulatory influences. The development and application of a qualitative water well suitability method was used to assess the potential groundwater response to injection, estimate suitability based on predesignated injection rates, and provide cumulative approximation of statewide and local storage prospects. The two methods allowed for rapid assessment of ASR suitability and its applicability to regional and local water management objectives at over 280 locations within 62 watersheds in Washington, USA.