Modern managed aquifer recharge (MAR) began in the middle of the last century, inspired by traditional practices that societies developed to combat water scarcity. Nowadays, MAR is practiced in more than 60 countries, fulfilling a variety of water and environment management goals across a diverse range of settings.
To help acknowledge and celebrate nearly a lifetime of experience with MAR, an overview paper was published on-line in the Hydrogeology Journal in September 2018, which summarizes progress in major methods, and in research and governance. It also quantifies known applications nationally and globally. The paper was prepared by a working group of the IAH Commission on MAR (IAH-MAR), composed of 31 MAR specialists.
Through the generous support of UNESCO, the article may be downloaded freely from the following link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10040-018-1841-z
Supplementary material comprising selected national summaries and photographs can also be downloaded via the link.
Drilling of riverbank filtration wells at the Nile River, Luxor, Egypt, March 2018. Seasonal low river water level, frequent spills of oil and other pollutants, and high turbidity during high flow cause problems in surface water abstraction and subsequent treatment. A short distance between the abstraction wells and the river bank is sufficient to remove particles, buffer spills and ensure a high portion of bank filtrate and a low portion of manganese-rich land-side groundwater (Photo credit: Thomas Grischek, Univ. of Applied Sciences Dresden, HTWD)
