Home / Conservation / Chino Basin Groundwater Recharge

The Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA); the Chino Basin Watermaster (CBWM); the Chino Basin Water Conservation District (CBWCD); and the San Bernardino County Flood Control District (SBCFCD) jointly sponsor the Groundwater Recharge ProgramChino Basin Recycled Water Groundwater Recharge Program that is an integral part of the CBWM Optimum Basin Management Plan... This program was put in place to enhance water supply reliability and to improve drinking water quality throughout the greater Chino Basin.

As illustrated, the GWR infrastructure consists of a network of pipelines that direct stormwater run-off, imported water from the State of California Water Project and IEUA recycled water to 16 recharge sites most of which consist of multiple recharge basins. These recharge basins are located throughout the IEUA service area (approximately 245 square miles) and are designed to hold the water so that it can percolate into the ground and replenish the alluvial aquifers and groundwater supply.

 

Conservation Basins
Multipurpose Basins
Recharge basins are used for stormwater, imported water, and recycled water recharge. Recycled water is delivered to the recharge basins through an extensive delivery system to supplement a more costly and less reliable imported water supply.

Annually, IEUA currently recharges between 40,000 and 50,000 acre-feet of imported water from northern California; between 15,000 and 25,000 acre-feet of stormwater; and 10,000 acre-feet of recycled water. An acre-foot of water is equal to 325,900 gallons of water or equivalent to filling a one acre site that is one foot deep with water.

The Chino Basin Recycled Water Groundwater Recharge Program will assist in mitigating future water shortages in California caused by future limitations for importing water supplies from the California State Water Project and provides a subsurface reserve of groundwater for local use. This enhances the current reliability of local groundwater supplies for a rapidly growing population and is an integral part of the local water supply planning.

The IEUA – GWR Program is an important part of the overall basin program and serves as a long-term solution to the water supply and water quality issues facing the greater Chino Basin. The production of IEUA’s recycled water have been captured and recharged by downstream water agencies for decades. It is now being utilized by the IEUA member agencies and is in accordance with requirements of court-approved basin management plans and peace agreements. The Chino Basin Recycled Water Groundwater Recharge Program has become a nationally acclaimed, award-winning program because it relies on local resources, natural organic cycles, innovative treatment techniques and energy-saving methods.

October 02, 2008 - Red Team - Groundwater Recharge Presentations

Presentations from IEUA’s Sept 19. 2008 Recycled Water Groundwater Recharge Workshop

Groundwater Recharge Reports

Monthly Recharge Summaries

Annual Recharge Summaries

Need for Recharge Project: Reduce dependence on expensive imported water supplies and provide a local drought-proof supply of new water for the Chino Basin.

  • Statewide water shortage will continue in California as result of northern California Bay-Delta issues, Colorado River cutbacks and increased population. Imported water supplies from northern California are the most expensive source of water for the Chino Basin and are increasingly unreliable, especially during droughts.
  • Additional reliable, local water supplies are needed in the Chino Basin to meet the future needs of our rapidly growing cities and to avoid future drought shortages.
  • High quality recycled water, produced by IEUA’s recycled water plants, is released to the Santa Ana River and has been used downstream for decades to recharge the Orange County Groundwater Basin.
  • Chino Basin community leaders including the Chino Basin Watermaster, Cucamonga County Water District, Monte Vista Water District, Inland Empire Utilities Agency and the Cities of Chino, Chino Hills, Fontana, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, and Upland have developed an integrated water supply plan to meet the future needs of Chino Basin which includes use of high quality recycled water to recharge the Chino Groundwater Basin.
  • The Chino Basin Recharge project is needed to meet the requirements of the court approved Optimum Basin Management Plan and the Chino Basin Peace Agreement.
  • The Governor’s Water Recycling Task Force (2003) and the California Bay Delta Authority (2000) recommended that recycled water use be expended to reduce reliance on imported water from the Delta and Colorado River.

Chino Basin Facilities Improvement Project – Phase II Following the successful completion of the Chino Basin Facilities Improvement Project, Phase I, additional opportunities to optimize, enhance and increase groundwater recharge were identified. Utilizing matching California Department of Water Resources grant funding, the following improvements were identified to be included as part of the Phase II project:

  • Construction of new monitoring wells and lysimeters to monitor recharge operations
  • Upgrading the capacity of MWD turnout CB-14 on the Rialto Feeder
  • Construction of a new turnout on the Rialto Feeder (CB-20) to provide imported water to 8th Street Basin
  • Improvements to conservation berms at four storm water retention basins to increase recharge of storm water
  • Improvements to the SCADA system to improve operation of the recharge facilities
  • Development of equipment for cleaning the basins without dewatering and drying basins.
  • November 2008 Report
  • June-July 2008 Report
  • April-May 2008 Report
  • March - 2008 Report
  • January - 2008 Report