ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE OF GROUNDWATER AS A WATER MANAGEMENT OPTION FOR EASTERN MAINE

• Main Author: Robert J. Saunders
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2001
• Subjects: Atlantic salmon
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.538.1488; http://www.library.umaine.edu/theses/pdf/SaundersRJ2001.pdf

The declining population of Atlantic salmon in eastern Maine has brought the wild blueberry industry's irrigation practice of pumping water directly from ponds and streams under scrutiny. Restrictions on pumping from streams has prompted the industry to seek new water resources. One resource with potential to assist the industry to meet its irrigation needs is groundwater. However, preliminary research has shown that groundwater is not capable of completely satisfying irrigation needs. To evaluate the potential that artificially recharging the groundwater during spring run-off to retain the water for later use as irrigation, the groundwater software Visual MODFLOW was applied. Inputs necessary to describe the hydrogeologic properties of the Pineo Ridge delta in Washington County, Maine were made. Once calibration was achieved, the model was used to simulate the effects that the artificial recharge of groundwater (ARG) had on the hydrodynamics of the system. Water was recharged into the aquifer during April and May (225 Lls (4050 gpm) for 45 days) when spring flows generally make water available in nearby ponds, streams, and rivers. Then, in July and August when water is limited and needed for irrigation, the water was removed from the