Comeback Story - An Aquifer on the Rebound

Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority

24 Mar 201605:41

Summary

TLDRAlbuquerque faced a water crisis in the mid-1990s when it was discovered that the aquifer was being depleted. To combat this, the Water Authority implemented a multifaceted strategy including conservation, reuse, aquifer storage and recovery, and the San Juan Chama drinking water project. These efforts have saved approximately a million acre-feet of water, equivalent to 10 years of supply, despite ongoing drought. The city's proactive approach since the 1990s has set it apart from other communities and increased its water supply even during consecutive drought years.

Takeaways

💧 **Water Conservation Success**: Albuquerque's water conservation efforts since the mid-1990s have saved approximately a million acre-feet of water in the aquifer, equivalent to 10 years of supply at the current rate.
🏜️ **Desert City Challenge**: As a desert city, Albuquerque has historically relied on the regional underground aquifer for its water supply, but faced a crisis when data showed a significant drawdown.
🚰 **Shift from Aquifer Dependence**: Realizing the aquifer could no longer be the sole water source, Albuquerque turned to a water resources management strategy involving conservation, reuse, aquifer storage, and recovery.
🌱 **Incentives for Conservation**: The Water Authority invested in conservation by offering rebates for water-efficient fixtures and appliances, and promoting xeriscaping, which led to a significant reduction in daily per capita water use.
💧 **Reuse of Water**: Albuquerque implemented systems to reuse water, including combining surface water with industrial effluent and recycling wastewater treatment plant effluent for non-potable uses.
💧 **Aquifer Storage and Recovery**: The Bear Canyon project was the first of its kind in New Mexico, storing non-potable surface water in the aquifer to mimic natural stormwater infiltration and prevent evaporation.
🌊 **San Juan Chama Project**: Albuquerque utilized its rights to surface water from the federal government to construct a project that diverted and consumed Colorado River water, directly replenishing the aquifer.
💹 **Financing the Project**: The half a billion-dollar construction of the San Juan Chama drinking water project was financed by rate increases, demonstrating the community's commitment to securing their water future.
📈 **Aquifer Recovery**: Despite six consecutive years of drought, Albuquerque has seen the aquifer rise by 15 to 20 feet in some areas, a testament to the effectiveness of their water management strategies.
🌟 **Unique Approach**: What sets Albuquerque apart is its proactive and comprehensive approach to water management, starting in the mid-90s, which has positioned it as a leader in innovative water solutions.

Q & A

How much water has the Albuquerque Water Authority saved in the aquifer since the mid-1990s?
-The Albuquerque Water Authority has saved about a million acre-feet of water in the aquifer since the mid-1990s.
What does the saved water amount to in terms of years of supply at Albuquerque's current rate?
-The saved water amounts to about 10 years of supply at Albuquerque's current rate.
What was the initial perception about the aquifer in Albuquerque?
-Initially, it was believed that Albuquerque was sitting on a continually replenished aquifer connected to the Rio Grande.
What changed in the mid-1990s regarding Albuquerque's aquifer?
-New data in the mid-1990s showed that the aquifer had been drawn down by as much as 120 feet, indicating a water crisis.
What was Albuquerque's initial water usage per person per day before the conservation efforts?
-Before the conservation efforts, Albuquerque's water usage was about 250 gallons per person per day.
What measures did the Water Authority take to promote water conservation?
-The Water Authority earmarked a million dollars per year in rebates for water-efficient fixtures, appliances, and replacement of turf with desert-friendly xeriscaping.
How successful was the conservation program in reducing water usage by 2015?
-By 2015, daily per capita water use had declined to 127 gallons, despite population growth.
What is the purpose of the reuse systems built in Albuquerque?
-The reuse systems are designed to use a combination of surface water, industrial effluent, and recycled wastewater to serve a large percentage of the turf in Albuquerque.
How does the aquifer storage and recovery project mimic the natural process of water replenishment?
-The project takes non-potable surface water from the Rio Grande, pipes it up, and releases it into the Arroyo, which naturally infiltrates into the aquifer.
What is the benefit of underground storage in the aquifer storage and recovery project?
-The benefit of underground storage is that it is not subject to evaporation, unlike surface reservoirs.
What is the San Juan Chama drinking water project and how did it affect Albuquerque's water supply?
-The San Juan Chama drinking water project involves diverting and fully consuming imported Colorado River water as a direct source, which has helped to increase Albuquerque's water supply and raise the aquifer levels.
How has Albuquerque managed to increase its water supply despite six consecutive years of drought?
-Albuquerque has managed to increase its water supply through a combination of conservation, reuse, aquifer storage and recovery, and the San Juan Chama drinking water project.

Outlines

00:00

💧 Albuquerque's Water Conservation and Aquifer Recovery

The Albuquerque Water Authority has achieved significant water conservation through a combination of efforts since the mid-1990s. They've saved approximately a million acre-feet of water, which equates to a decade's supply at the current rate. The city, which relied on an underground aquifer, faced a crisis when data showed the aquifer had dropped by up to 120 feet. To address this, a water resources management strategy was implemented focusing on four approaches: conservation, reuse, aquifer storage and recovery, and the San Juan Chama drinking water project. Conservation was prioritized, with a focus on incentives and education, leading to a reduction in daily per capita water use from 250 gallons to 127 gallons by 2015 despite population growth. Reuse initiatives involved recycling water for non-potable uses like turf irrigation. Aquifer storage and recovery projects mimicked natural processes to replenish the aquifer without loss to evaporation. The San Juan Chama project involved diverting Colorado River water, which was financed by rate increases and began operations in 2008, leading to a rise in the aquifer levels despite consecutive drought years.

05:01

🌟 Proactive Water Management in New Mexico

The Water Authority in New Mexico has been proactive in managing water resources since the mid-1990s, implementing strategies that other communities are only now beginning to adopt. Despite facing six consecutive years of drought, they have managed to increase the water supply in the Middle Valley. This is an exceptional achievement, demonstrating the effectiveness of their comprehensive approach to water management.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Conservation

Conservation in the context of the video refers to the practice of using water resources judiciously to prevent waste and preserve them for future use. The Albuquerque Water Authority's conservation efforts are highlighted as a key strategy in their water management, with a focus on reducing per capita water usage through incentives and education. The script mentions that the city was once considered the 'biggest water wasters in the West,' indicating the importance of conservation in changing this perception and reducing their water footprint.

💡Aquifer

An aquifer is an underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock, rock fractures, or unconsolidated materials from which groundwater can be extracted. In the video, the aquifer is depicted as the lifeblood of Albuquerque, a desert city that has historically relied on it for its water supply. The script discusses how the aquifer had been drawn down significantly, leading to a water crisis and the need for alternative strategies to replenish and conserve it.

💡Water Authority

The Water Authority mentioned in the script is an organization responsible for managing water resources in Albuquerque. It plays a crucial role in implementing strategies to conserve water, recycle wastewater, and increase the city's water supply. The script praises the Water Authority for its proactive approach in addressing water scarcity, setting it apart from other communities that are just beginning to tackle similar issues.

💡Reuse

Reuse in the context of the video refers to the process of treating used water and making it suitable for a different purpose. The city of Albuquerque has built systems to reuse water for non-potable purposes such as irrigation. The script explains that a significant portion of the city's water use now comes from recycled water, which is a key component in their water management strategy to reduce dependence on the aquifer.

💡Aquifer Storage and Recovery

Aquifer Storage and Recovery is a water management technique where water is injected into an aquifer for storage and later recovered for use. The script describes the Bear Canyon project, which is the first of its kind in New Mexico, where non-potable surface water is released into an arroyo to infiltrate the aquifer, mimicking the natural process of stormwater infiltration. This method is beneficial as it prevents water loss due to evaporation.

💡San Juan Chama Drinking Water Project

The San Juan Chama Drinking Water Project is a significant infrastructure initiative mentioned in the script that allows Albuquerque to divert and consume its allocated Colorado River water. This project is financed by rate increases and is a substantial investment in the city's water future. It is part of the broader strategy to diversify the city's water sources and reduce reliance on the aquifer.

💡Xeriscaping

Xeriscaping refers to landscaping methods that reduce or eliminate the need for supplemental watering. The script mentions that the Water Authority provided incentives for replacing turf with desert-friendly xeriscaping as part of their conservation program. This approach is particularly relevant in a desert city like Albuquerque, where water conservation is critical.

💡Effluent

Effluent is the liquid waste or output from industrial or domestic processes, often treated before being discharged or reused. In the video, effluent from the wastewater treatment plant is recycled for use in Albuquerque's south part, highlighting the city's efforts to maximize water use efficiency.

💡Desert City

A desert city is a settlement located in a desert region, where water scarcity is a significant challenge. Albuquerque is described as a desert city at the crossroads of the great Southwest, emphasizing the importance of water management in such an arid environment. The city's strategies to overcome water scarcity are particularly relevant for other desert cities facing similar challenges.

💡Per Capita Water Use

Per capita water use refers to the average amount of water used by each person. The script notes that Albuquerque's per capita water use has significantly decreased from 250 gallons per person per day to 127 gallons, despite population growth. This reduction is a testament to the effectiveness of the city's conservation program.

💡Drought

Drought is a prolonged period of abnormally low precipitation, typically resulting in a water shortage. The script mentions that Albuquerque has faced six consecutive years of drought, yet the city has managed to increase its water supply. This highlights the city's resilience and the effectiveness of its water management strategies in the face of climate challenges.

Highlights

Albuquerque's Water Authority has saved about a million acre-feet of water in the aquifer since the mid-1990s.

The saved water is equivalent to 10 years of supply at the current rate.

The city faced a water crisis in the mid-1990s when data showed the aquifer had been drawn down by as much as 120 feet.

Albuquerque could no longer rely on the aquifer as the sole source of supply.

The Water Authority adopted a water resources management strategy based on four primary approaches: conservation, reuse, aquifer storage and recovery, and the San Juan Chama drinking water project.

The conservation program provided rebates for water-efficient fixtures and appliances and incentivized xeriscaping.

By 2015, daily per capita water use had declined to 127 gallons despite population growth.

Reuse systems were built to recycle water for non-potable uses, such as irrigation.

Aquifer storage and recovery projects mimic natural processes to replenish the aquifer without evaporation loss.

The San Juan Chama project allows Albuquerque to divert and consume its imported Colorado River water.

Construction of the drinking water project cost half a billion dollars, financed by rate increases.

Operation of the drinking water project began in 2008, leading to a rise in the aquifer levels.

Despite six consecutive years of drought, Albuquerque has increased its water supply.

The Water Authority's proactive measures started in the mid-90s are now being emulated by other communities.

Albuquerque's unique approach combines conservation, reuse, and aquifer storage to increase water supply during drought.

The Water Authority's strategy is an example of successful water management in a desert city.