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Eastern San Joaquin Groundwater Basin Groundwater Management Plan Northeastern San Joaquin County Section 4 Groundwater Banking Authority 83 Groundwater Management Options keeping water from draining from the field too quickly. Field flooding is not effective on permanent crops such as orchards, but is very feasible on vineyards and certain row crops. There could be additional environmental benefits to this approach, such as providing seasonal habitat to migratory waterfowl. Spreading Basins and Recharge Ponds Unlike field flooding, spreading basins or recharge ponds are dedicated facilities constructed solely for recharge and seasonal habitat. Spreading basins are not rotated into production during the growing season. Spreading basins consist of relatively shallow basins, which are excavated to a depth of several feet. If present, shallow fine-grained sediment, hardpan, or clay may be excavated to provide more favorable recharge conditions in recharge ponds. Recharge Pits Recharge pits are similar to spreading basins and recharge ponds but are generally deeper and may be located in an existing natural or manmade depression such as a gravel quarry or flood control detention basin. Recharge pits require extensive excavation making them well suited for areas with an extensive aquitard or hardpan layer. Although not as cost effective as field flooding or spreading basins, existing quarries and flood control detention basins could serve as seasonal recharge pits with minor site improvements and minor changes in operation. 4.1.2.2 Injection Wells Injection wells pump water directly into the groundwater aquifer. Injecting water into the aquifer system is an effective option for providing hydraulic control in well-defined hydrogeologic and hydraulic conditions. Complex injection/extraction well systems can be used for aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) projects. ASR systems often use treated water sources such as municipal supplies meeting safe drinking water requirements. Injection wells are also applicable in coastal settings where high quality reclaimed wastewater is injected to create a hydraulic barrier to seawater intrusion. Capital costs for ASR facilities include conveyance, treatment, and well construction costs. 4.1.2.3 In-lieu Recharge In-lieu recharge is the direct substitution of surface water for groundwater creating a reduction in amount of groundwater pumped. Surface water can be substituted for groundwater in both urban and agricultural areas. Agricultural In-lieu Agricultural in-lieu recharge offers significant opportunities within Eastern San Joaquin County. To successfully implement agricultural in-lieu, the delivery capacity of the conveyance system needs to be expanded and on-farm dual irrigation systems constructed. In the past water supply reliability and availability have deterred the use of surface water. If additional firm entitlements are not obtained for diversion during the irrigation season, additional storage and conveyance would be needed to meet the demands of growers. Successful in-lieu programs are often incentive based and will require the financial and political support of the community. Urban In-lieu Urban in-lieu recharge consists of utilizing surface water to meet municipal and Industrial (M&I) demands. Should reliable surface water sources become readily available to urban areas, urban in-lieu recharge programs can be achieved on the order of current water service costs. Although urban areas require capital investments for treatment facilities, cities often have existing distribution facilities or the means to construct them through connection and development fees.