16 June 2025
Our water resources are increasingly compromised by climate change, agricultural expansion and population growth. Rising temperatures are accelerating the hydrogeological cycle, leading to increased rainfall intensity and promoting runoff, and consequently potentially reducing recharge. As a result, surface water resources may face depletion in many parts of the world, including Canada.
Current methods and solutions may be insufficient to preserving our water resources. Other technologies must be considered to maintain water quality and accessibility in a context of climate change and anthropogenic constraints. A research team at ÉTS is focusing on managed aquifer recharge to alleviate these problems.
Managed Aquifer Recharge
Managed aquifer recharge involves stimulating the natural process of groundwater recharge by optimizing infiltration.
The advantage is two-fold: it not only stores water, but also improves its quality. Unlike traditional storage methods—such as surface reservoirs or artificial ponds, which are prone to water loss through evaporation—this approach relies on the ability of geological formations to store water in the subsurface, protected from evaporation. Water seeps into the ground and percolates through the geological layers, benefiting from so-called natural filtration processes (chemical, physical and biogeochemical), which help to improve water quality. Several technologies are based on this principle, including river bank filtration, and water storage and recovery in aquifers.
In addition to supporting agricultural, industrial and domestic needs, managed aquifer recharge plays a crucial role in preserving groundwater-dependent systems, helping to maintain water balance by increasing the amount of groundwater available. Managed aquifer recharge replenishes groundwater, helping to regulate river flows, particularly during periods of drought, thus sustaining the aquatic ecosystems that depend on them.
Aquifer Storage and Recovery Technique Adapted to the Quebec Context
In many parts of the world, water can be in short supply during dry seasons. Installing a well or infiltration basin in a suitable type of soil allows surface water to be stored when it is most abundant (rain, runoff) in the subsurface. The water can then be pumped back up when surface water runs out.
This technology is relatively widespread in regions where water is scarce. In Quebec, this has not yet been tested on a large scale, even though local scarcity of the resource is becoming a cause for concern. Our team will study engineered aquifer recharge in the Quebec context, with a special focus on groundwater quality. As there is as yet no method for assessing the effect of this technology on groundwater, we will use a multi-method approach: conventional hydrogeology, isotope geochemistry, remote sensing and geophysics.
We plan to launch a project to develop a prototype solution for the managed recharge of superficial aquifers, adapted to the hydrogeological context of southern Quebec. The water used for recharging will initially come from the recovery of rainwater from greenhouses or buildings. The pilot test will be carried out on the ÉTS campus in Sainte-Marthe.
The project will evaluate the effects of this solution on water availability and runoff reduction. This pilot project is supported by the CentrEau Seed Fund and led by Janie Masse-Dufresne (ÉTS) in collaboration with Christin Müller (UQAM) and Florent Barbecot (UQAM).
Conclusion
The various forms of managed aquifer recharge represent a promising set of tools for better preservation of water quality and availability. But we still need to learn more about this technology in order to optimize it and anticipate its impact, thus ensuring sustainable management of water resources for future generations.
