Groundwater recharge

Groundwater recharge is the movement of water from the land surface or subsurface into an aquifer, replenishing its stored groundwater.

Infiltration: The entry of water at the land surface into soil or other porous material. Recharge often begins when precipitation or applied water infiltrates the ground.
Aquifer: A permeable geological formation that stores and transmits usable quantities of groundwater. Recharge replenishes the water stored in this formation.
Managed aquifer recharge: The intentional addition of water to aquifers for later recovery or environmental benefit. It applies recharge deliberately through infiltration basins, wells, or other engineered methods.
Groundwater depletion: A sustained decline in groundwater storage, commonly caused by withdrawals exceeding replenishment. Depletion occurs when recharge cannot keep pace with pumping and discharge.
Groundwater recharge estimation: The use of measurements and models to quantify water entering groundwater systems. Its methods reveal why recharge rates are estimates rather than directly observed totals.
Percolation: The downward movement of water through soil and porous rock under gravity. Percolation carries infiltrated water toward the saturated zone.
Aquiclude: A geological layer that restricts groundwater flow because it has very low permeability. An aquiclude can impede recharge to aquifers beneath it.
Aquifer storage and recovery: A managed recharge method that injects water into an aquifer and later withdraws it through wells. It turns aquifers into seasonal storage for water supplies.
Baseflow: The portion of streamflow supplied by delayed sources, especially groundwater. Recharge can sustain groundwater contributions to streams during dry periods.
Environmental tracer: A naturally occurring or introduced substance used to infer the movement, age, or origin of water. Tracers help distinguish recent recharge from older groundwater.

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