Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) for the Preservation
207
cooperation of the managers, policy makers, scientists, engineers, and field
hydrologists in working together extremely important.
The development of the proposed IWRM solution started with calculations of
budgets of quantities of water resources of each type and budgets of salinity in the
different areas of the region. In these calculations it was assumed that all available
groundwater, surface water, and wastewater should be considered components of
the regional water resources. The database development also incorporated
estimates of storage capacity in different locations of the region. Adequate storage
facilities are extremely important to the implementation of an IWRM approach in
the region, which is subject to both wet and dry seasons and substantial
interannual variability in precipitation. Calculations have shown that the currently
saline deep aquifer in northern Stafford County could provide an extremely large
storage capacity; it could be reclaimed, provided that its saltwater is diverted to
appropriate consumers or disposal.
Another important issue is the possibility for increasing the quantities of water
available for use in the region by adjusting the quality. In some cases available
water resources can be improved and expanded by preventing saltier water from
mixing with comparatively fresh water. In other cases, mixing saltier water with
comparatively fresh water may make it possible to supply larger quantities to
particular consumers without degrading the water quality beyond acceptable
limits. The two different approaches can and probably should both be
implemented in different locations of the region.
The approach of separating saltier water resources from fresh ones can be
implemented in the collection and treatment of wastewater in the HutchinsonNickerson area. In that area it would be possible to divert industrial wastewater of
high salinity to a separate wastewater treatment plant, whose treated effluents
would be released directly into the Arkansas River. This change of the wastewater
handling in the area might increase the possible use of other types of treated
wastewater in the region. It is also possible, according to engineering and
economic feasibility criteria, to implement wastewater recycling in some industrial
plants of that area, and thereby reduce the quantity extracted from the local
groundwater aquifer. In the area of the Rattlesnake corridor, water resources of
comparatively high salinity can meet the water supply requirements of the wildlife
refuge. Large volumes of saline water are available from the deep aquifer.
However, it should be mixed with adequate quantities of water of low salinity
prior to its supply to the wildlife refuge.
The calculations described provide evaluations of the budgets of water resource
quantities and qualities. The total amount of water currently available in the region
can meet the combined needs of the urban communities, rural communities, farms,
and natural habitats. However, the current water quality, mainly with regard to
chloride content, of some available water resources does not allow its direct
supply to the local consumers. Improvement of the quantities of water available
could result from practices developed according to the guidelines described in
preceding paragraphs.
Budget calculations indicate that if all quantities of water resources are
considered, then basically the amounts of total water resources in the area of
207
cooperation of the managers, policy makers, scientists, engineers, and field
hydrologists in working together extremely important.
The development of the proposed IWRM solution started with calculations of
budgets of quantities of water resources of each type and budgets of salinity in the
different areas of the region. In these calculations it was assumed that all available
groundwater, surface water, and wastewater should be considered components of
the regional water resources. The database development also incorporated
estimates of storage capacity in different locations of the region. Adequate storage
facilities are extremely important to the implementation of an IWRM approach in
the region, which is subject to both wet and dry seasons and substantial
interannual variability in precipitation. Calculations have shown that the currently
saline deep aquifer in northern Stafford County could provide an extremely large
storage capacity; it could be reclaimed, provided that its saltwater is diverted to
appropriate consumers or disposal.
Another important issue is the possibility for increasing the quantities of water
available for use in the region by adjusting the quality. In some cases available
water resources can be improved and expanded by preventing saltier water from
mixing with comparatively fresh water. In other cases, mixing saltier water with
comparatively fresh water may make it possible to supply larger quantities to
particular consumers without degrading the water quality beyond acceptable
limits. The two different approaches can and probably should both be
implemented in different locations of the region.
The approach of separating saltier water resources from fresh ones can be
implemented in the collection and treatment of wastewater in the HutchinsonNickerson area. In that area it would be possible to divert industrial wastewater of
high salinity to a separate wastewater treatment plant, whose treated effluents
would be released directly into the Arkansas River. This change of the wastewater
handling in the area might increase the possible use of other types of treated
wastewater in the region. It is also possible, according to engineering and
economic feasibility criteria, to implement wastewater recycling in some industrial
plants of that area, and thereby reduce the quantity extracted from the local
groundwater aquifer. In the area of the Rattlesnake corridor, water resources of
comparatively high salinity can meet the water supply requirements of the wildlife
refuge. Large volumes of saline water are available from the deep aquifer.
However, it should be mixed with adequate quantities of water of low salinity
prior to its supply to the wildlife refuge.
The calculations described provide evaluations of the budgets of water resource
quantities and qualities. The total amount of water currently available in the region
can meet the combined needs of the urban communities, rural communities, farms,
and natural habitats. However, the current water quality, mainly with regard to
chloride content, of some available water resources does not allow its direct
supply to the local consumers. Improvement of the quantities of water available
could result from practices developed according to the guidelines described in
preceding paragraphs.
Budget calculations indicate that if all quantities of water resources are
considered, then basically the amounts of total water resources in the area of