aquifer recharge

Syllable breakdown

Dictionary meaning

the process by which water enters an aquifer from the surface through infiltration of precipitation, river water, or applied irrigation water percolating through soil and unsaturated rock, replenishing stored groundwater volumes; natural recharge rates depend on precipitation intensity and timing, soil permeability, vegetation cover, geology, and the depth and character of the unsaturated zone between the surface and the saturated aquifer; managed aquifer recharge encompasses engineered interventions including infiltration basins, recharge wells, and the deliberate spreading of floodwater or treated wastewater across permeable land surfaces to enhance the rate at which water enters underground storage, providing a tool for banking water during wet periods for use during droughts