This project will develop a user-friendly decision support tool, the MAR-Tool, to help Department of Defense (DoD) installation staff assess where and how to implement Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) strategies. MAR captures excess stormwater and stores it underground to bolster local water supplies, reduce flood risks, and support critical ecosystems. Designed for arid and semi-arid regions, the MAR-Tool will help DoD personnel quickly evaluate the feasibility, cost, and potential mission benefits of MAR at their installations. This proactive planning capability supports water security and operational continuity in areas facing increasing drought and groundwater depletion.

Groundwater quantity and quality in arid and semi-arid regions are increasingly threatened by development, over-extraction, and shifts in precipitation patterns. This project will develop a spreadsheet-based decision support tool — the MAR-Tool — to assess the feasibility of implementing Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) strategies at DoD facilities in these environments. 

The MAR-Tool will use a user-friendly decision tree structure linked to publicly available analytical tools to evaluate hydrogeologic and engineering factors, such as seepage rates and groundwater mounding. It will also provide rough order-of-magnitude cost estimates based on a review of MAR project capital and operations and maintenance costs, normalized by anticipated recharge rates. The cost tables will be refined and expanded to support a broader range of potential MAR applications. 

To demonstrate the tool’s utility, it will be applied at two DoD installations in the western U.S. to develop conceptual designs that estimate the cost, performance, and benefits of MAR implementation. 

The MAR-Tool will allow DoD environmental staff and their consultants to screen out impractical MAR projects and identify those worth pursuing through more detailed design and analysis. Ultimately, this tool can accelerate the adoption of MAR strategies that increase groundwater storage, reduce flood risks, support groundwater-dependent ecosystems, and enhance long-term environmental resilience at DoD installations. 

DoD installations in arid regions are already facing water scarcity, environmental stress, and costly infrastructure risks – all of which threaten long-term mission readiness. By enabling smarter groundwater recharge and stormwater management, the MAR-Tool gives installations a science-based way to strengthen water resilience, reduce flood hazards, and support surrounding ecosystems.  

One potential demonstration site, Naval Air Station (NAS) Lemoore, highlights the operational relevance of this work. During drought years in California, NAS Lemoore’s water allocation from the State Water Project often falls short of its agricultural needs. This leads to fallow fields, reduced lease revenue, and increased rodent activity – which attracts raptors and other predatory birds. The resulting rise in bird populations near the flight line is a serious concern for the Bird/Wildlife Aircraft Strike Hazard (BASH) program. A single bird strike can endanger pilots and cause over $1 million in aircraft damage and inspection costs. 

Applying MAR at NAS Lemoore could improve water availability, reduce fallowed acreage, and help limit wildlife attractants near aircraft operations. This illustrates how MAR can provide both environmental and operational benefits to strengthen water security while directly contributing to pilot safety and cost avoidance for the Department. (Anticipated Project Completion - 2027)