Our modeling analysis determined that recharge capacity was sufficient to make the Bank a financially viable business venture.

Antelope Valley-East Kern Water Agency

Location: Los Angeles and Kern Counties, California
M&A provides support for a California agency that supplies imported water to more than 20 municipal providers in the Mojave Desert.

OVERVIEW

M&A has been integral in the development of the High Desert Groundwater Bank for AVEK, which aims to improve water supply reliability and generate revenues to offset costs to its customers. In 2019, we subcontracted to Stantec to assist in the High Desert Groundwater Bank development.

SERVICES

Water Supply & Recharge

  • Conducting a recharge feasibility assessment to estimate the recharge capacity of the project
  • Evaluating the efficacy of obtaining funding under California’s Water Storage Investment Program (WSIP)
  • Monitoring and evaluating the hydrologic effects of a 2017 pilot recharge project
  • Preparing a proposal to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for a WaterSMART grant to support additional hydrogeologic investigations to improve confidence in the HDWB performance
  • Conducting a comprehensive field exploration program to characterize site conditions for groundwater modeling
  • Characterizing vadose zone lithologic and hydraulic conditions in coordination with the geotechnical investigation
  • Developing technical specifications and managing the construction and testing of a deep monitor well, vadose zone piezometer, and up to 27 recovery wells
  • Prepare the Water Storage Agreement for the Antelope Valley Watermaster
  • Analyze groundwater data from early recharge activities to assist in operational optimization and assess the potential effects of recharge on local infrastructure

Groundwater Modeling

  • Evaluating the U.S. Geological Survey MODFLOW model of the Antelope Valley
  • Developing a site-specific groundwater model to aid in project design and operation, and to provide a high degree of confidence that the HDWB will achieve client goals
  • Calibrating the model to site-specific groundwater level and quality data
  • Using calibrated model to estimate recharge and recovery capacity, aid in recharge design, and to design the recovery wellfield