Palmdale Regional Groundwater Recharge and Recovery Project

Palmdale Water District

16 Feb 201605:35

Summary

TLDRThe Palmdale regional groundwater recharge and recovery project aims to secure a future water supply by storing water in aquifers during wet years for use during dry periods. Utilizing a mix of recycled and raw water from the state, the project includes pipelines, recharge basins, and recovery wells to naturally purify and store water. This forward-thinking initiative ensures a reliable water supply for up to 50,000 homes and demonstrates the Palmdale Water District's commitment to sustainable water management.

Takeaways

🌊 The Palmdale regional groundwater recharge and recovery project is a crucial water supply investment for the future, aiming to address potential water deficits by 2021.
🛠️ The project involves storing water in aquifers during wet years for use during dry years, using a mix of recycled and raw water from the state water project.
📍 The project's orientation includes significant geographical features such as the California Aqueduct, Little Rock Creek wash, and Big Rock Creek wash.
💧 The Lancaster sub-basin is particularly suitable for groundwater recharge due to its large water storage capacity and proximity to recycled water sources.
🚰 A new turnout at the aqueduct is proposed to bring water to the project site, which includes nine miles of pipelines to transport water to recharge sites.
⚙️ The pipeline is designed to deliver water through a hydro turbine, generating energy from the water's flow.
🌿 Recycled water will be blended with state water project water and delivered to recharge basins for natural infiltration into the groundwater basin.
🔄 The recharge process involves water percolating at a rate of about 3 feet per day, undergoing natural purification as it moves through the soil.
🕰️ Water takes approximately 24 months to travel through the basin, which is longer than the six-month requirement for such systems, ensuring thorough purification.
🚧 The initial phase includes eight recovery wells, with the potential for 16 wells, capable of producing up to 30,000 acre-feet of water per year to serve up to 50,000 homes.
🏠 Recovery wells are housed in buildings to protect them from the elements and reduce noise impact on the community.
🔄 The recovered water is either chlorinated for direct delivery to customers or returned to the California Aqueduct for distribution to project partners.

Q & A

What is the primary purpose of the Palmdale regional groundwater recharge and recovery project?
-The primary purpose of the project is to address the potential water supply deficit by storing water in groundwater aquifers during wet years for recovery during dry years, ensuring a reliable water supply for the future.
Who is Paul Nils and what is his concern regarding water supply by 2021?
-Paul Nils is not mentioned in the transcript as having a specific role, but his concern is that the water supply could be running at a deficit by the year 2021, highlighting the need for the proposed project.
What is the source of water for the recharge project?
-The water for the recharge project comes from a blend of recycled water and raw water from the state water project, specifically from the California Aqueduct which brings water from Northern California.
How many sub basins are within the Palmdale Water District service area, and which one is best suited for groundwater recharge?
-There are three sub basins within the Palmdale Water District service area. The Lancaster sub basin is uniquely suited for groundwater recharge due to its immense water storage capacity and other favorable conditions.
What is the proposed infrastructure for bringing water to the new project site from the California Aqueduct?
-The proposed infrastructure includes a new turnout at the aqueduct and nine miles of pipelines to carry the water to the strategically selected recharge site.
How will energy be generated as part of the groundwater recharge and recovery project?
-Energy will be generated through a hydro turbine that utilizes the available water head to produce energy as the water is delivered through the pipeline.
What is the approximate rate at which water will percolate in each recharge basin?
-Water will percolate in each recharge basin at an approximate rate of 3 feet per day.
How long does it take for the water to travel through the recharge basin and reach the recovery wells?
-The travel time for the water through the basin to reach the recovery wells is approximately 24 months.
What is the potential production capacity of the recovery wells in terms of acre-feet of water per year?
-The initial phase of the project proposes eight recovery wells with the potential for sixteen wells at project completion, which could produce between 15,000 to 30,000 acre-feet of water per year.
How will the recovered water be treated before delivery to customers or the California Aqueduct system?
-The recovered water will be either chlorinated for delivery to water customers or returned to the California Aqueduct system for delivery to project partners.
What measures are taken to protect the well and shield the community from the working noise of the recovery wells?
-Each recovery well will be housed in a building to protect the well from the elements and to shield the community from the working noise of the well.

Outlines

00:00

🌊 Groundwater Recharge and Recovery Project Overview

The Palmdale regional groundwater recharge and recovery project aims to address the potential water supply deficit projected for 2021. The project, led by the Palmdale Water District, involves storing water in aquifers during wet years for use during dry periods. It utilizes a mix of recycled and raw water from the state water project. The infrastructure includes pipelines, a hydro turbine for energy production, and recharge basins for water purification. The water is stored in three sub-basins, with the Lancaster sub-basin being particularly suitable due to its large storage capacity and proximity to water sources. The project's design ensures compliance with state regulations and includes a system of recovery wells to extract the stored water, which can serve up to 50,000 homes after a natural purification process lasting approximately 24 months.

05:00

💧 Ensuring Future Water Supply and Cost-Effectiveness

The second paragraph of the script emphasizes the long-term benefits of the Palmdale groundwater recharge and recovery project. It highlights the project's role in providing a consistent and reliable water supply, which is crucial for the growth and prosperity of Palmdale's businesses, industries, and future customers. The project is presented as the most cost-effective solution for the district in the long run, ensuring that the community can flourish with a sustainable water resource.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Groundwater Recharge

Groundwater recharge refers to the process of replenishing underground water sources, typically by directing surface water to percolate into the ground. In the context of the video, it is a critical strategy for the Palmdale regional project to store water during wet years for use during dry periods. The script mentions the use of recharge basins to allow water to naturally flow into the groundwater basin, thereby storing it for future use.

💡Water Supply Deficit

A water supply deficit occurs when the demand for water exceeds the available supply. The script warns that, based on projections, water supply could be running at a deficit by 2021, highlighting the urgency of the proposed project. The Palmdale Water District's initiative aims to address this potential shortfall by enhancing water storage capabilities.

💡Aquifer

An aquifer is an underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock, rock fractures, or unconsolidated materials from which groundwater can be extracted. The script discusses storing water in groundwater aquifers, emphasizing the immense storage capacity of the Lancaster sub-basin, which is uniquely suited for groundwater recharge.

💡California Aqueduct

The California Aqueduct is a major water conveyance system that transports water from Northern California to Southern California. The script mentions that a large portion of the district's water supply comes from this aqueduct, and the proposed project includes a new turnout to bring water from the aqueduct to the recharge site.

💡Recycled Water

Recycled water, also known as reclaimed or repurposed water, is water that has been treated and is suitable for reuse for non-potable purposes. The script describes the blending of recycled water with raw water from the state water project, adhering to stringent state regulations, to be used in the recharge process.

💡Hydro Turbine

A hydro turbine is a device that converts the kinetic energy of moving water into mechanical energy, which can then be used to generate electricity. The script mentions the use of a hydro turbine to produce energy from the available water head as the water is delivered through the pipeline.

💡Recharge Basin

A recharge basin is a constructed depression or pond designed to facilitate the infiltration of surface water into the ground for the purpose of recharging an aquifer. The script describes the use of four twenty-acre recharge basins where the blended water will naturally flow into the groundwater basin.

💡Natural Purification

Natural purification is the process by which water is cleansed of impurities as it moves through soil and rock layers underground. The script explains that as the water percolates through the soil into the groundwater basin, it undergoes this natural purification process.

💡Recovery Wells

Recovery wells are wells drilled into an aquifer to extract stored groundwater. The script outlines the initial phase of the project, which proposes eight recovery wells with the potential for sixteen wells at completion, to extract water from the groundwater basin for use.

💡Acre-feet

An acre-foot is a unit of volume used to measure large quantities of water, equivalent to the volume of water that would cover one acre of land to a depth of one foot. The script states that the recovery wells could produce between 15,000 to 30,000 acre-feet of water per year, illustrating the scale of the water supply that can be provided.

💡Cost-effective Solution

A cost-effective solution refers to a method or strategy that provides the most benefit for the least cost. The script concludes by emphasizing that the Palmdale groundwater recharge and recovery project will not only ensure a consistent and reliable water supply but also represents the most cost-effective solution over the long term.

Highlights

The Palmdale regional groundwater recharge and recovery project is a crucial water supply investment for the future based on water supply and growth projections.

By the year 2021, water supply could be running at a deficit, prompting the Palmdale Water District to propose a project to address this issue.

The project aims to store water in groundwater aquifers during wet years for recovery during dry years, using a blend of recycled and raw water from the state water project.

The Lancaster sub-basin is uniquely suited for groundwater recharge due to its immense water storage capacity and proximity to the recycled water source.

A large portion of the district's water supply comes from the California Aqueduct, which brings water from Northern California.

The proposed project includes a new turnout at the aqueduct to bring water to the new project site.

The groundwater recharge and recovery project includes nine miles of pipelines to carry California Aqueduct water to the recharge site.

Water will be delivered to one of the four 20-acre recharge basins for natural flow into the groundwater basin.

The water will undergo natural purification as it travels through the soil into the groundwater basin.

There is tremendous space in the aquifer to store water for future use, with the water slowly traveling through the basin to eventually reach recovery wells.

The travel time for the water is approximately 24 months, which is far longer than the mandated six-month requirement for systems of this type.

A ring of recovery wells will be located about half a mile away from the recharge basins to extract water from the groundwater basin.

The initial phase of the project proposes eight recovery wells, with the potential for sixteen wells at project completion.

These wells could produce between 15,000 to 30,000 acre-feet of water per year, enough to serve up to 50,000 homes.

The recovery water is either chlorinated for delivery to water customers or returned to the California Aqueduct system for delivery to project partners.

Each recovery well will be housed in a building to protect the well from the elements and shield the community from the working noise of the well.

The Palmdale Water District is planning ahead to provide the community with a reliable water supply by storing and banking its allocation from the State Water Project.

The project will ensure the delivery of clean water to residents, businesses, industries, and future customers, supporting the growth and prosperity of Palmdale.

The Palmdale groundwater recharge and recovery project is the most cost-effective solution for providing a consistent and reliable water supply over the long term.