Groundwater Recharge In Oklahoma

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Groundwater Recharge In Oklahoma
2
Geology of Southwest Oklahoma
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Sinkholes
4
Average Precipitation
5
Reported Water Use
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Seasonal Water Level Changes

• Increase in water levels are greatest during fall
  months
• Decrease in water levels are greatest during
  irrigation season

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Recharge Wells

• Approximately 50 recharge wells
• Wells located adjacent to streams
• Wells are concentrated in northern half of
  watershed

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Schematic of Recharge Well

• Are cased or open hole
• Surface casing is typically 80 100 feet deep
• Intake structure is typically located in creek or
  drainage way
• Intake is usually less than 100 ft from well
• Recharge well is protected by berm

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Recharge Pond

• Storage capacities vary from 10 af to 1,000 af
• Water is recharged primarily to sinkholes

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Project Recharge Wells
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Project Recharge Wells Watersheds

• Watershed for recharge wells
• R01 369 ac
• R02 1,520 ac
• R03 7,294 ac
• R04 253 ac
• R05 - 13,995 ac

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Water Level Rainfall Response
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Runoff Recharge Volumes
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Estimated Recharge Over 5 Years
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Recharge Amounts by Month
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Dog Creek Shale Thickness

• Cavern development in the Blaine gypsum is best
  where dog creek shale is less than 60 feet in
  thickness
• Cavern development is also best adjacent to
  streams

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Principle Irrigation Area

• Since the intent of the recharge wells is to
  augment irrigation wells, then placement of
  recharge wells should be in the area of
  irrigation.

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Depth to Water

• Physical storage of water in the aquifer best
  occurs where water levels are greater than 20 ft
  below land surface

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Optimal Recharge Well Sites
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Historical Groundwater Quality
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Groundwater Quality Non Recharge
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Groundwater Quality - After Recharge
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Recharged Water Quality
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Comparison of GW Quality
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Summary of Water Quality Changes

• Increased Concentrations
• Total Suspended Solids at 2 sites
• Phosphorous at 4 sites
• Calcium at one site
• Potassium at one site

• Decreased Concentrations
• TDS at 4 sites
• Nitrate at 2 sites
• Fluoride at 2 sites
• Chloride at 2 sites

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Cost of Artificial Recharge

• Recharge wells (cased well) - 24,140 per well
• Recharge wells (open hole) - 15,000 per well
• Test holes - 7 - 10/ft
• Economic Benefits
• Average cost of recharge 0.13 per 1,000
  gallons
• Average value of recharge 0.53 per 1,000
  gallons