Development of the Chino Basin Recharge Master Plan

Artificial Recharge
in the Chino Basin

Chino Basin Watermaster

In the mid 1990s, it was becoming clear that the recharge capacity of the Chino Basin would need to be expanded to meet future replenishment obligations. The Chino Basin Watermaster (CBWM) is a consensus-based organization that facilitates the development and utilization of the Chino Groundwater Basin (Basin). In 2000, the CBWM developed the Optimum Basin Management Program (OBMP); a comprehensive watershed management program. Program Element 2 of the OBMP involves the development and implementation of a comprehensive recharge master plan. WEI was retained by the CBWM to develop the Phase 1 Recharge Master Plan for the Chino Basin.

The goals of this program element are to maximize the capture of storm flows for recharge of the groundwater basin and to maximize the recharge capacity for supplemental water for replenishment purposes pursuant to the Chino Basin Judgment and for conjunctive use. The CBWM and Inland Utilities Agency (IEUA) completed a recharge master plan in 2001 and immediately advanced that plan through design and construction. As of October 2004, two new recharge basins were constructed and 15 existing retention facilities were improved to be recharge basins. These facilities are controlled through a SCADA system by IEUA. The cost of these recharge enhancement is about $40 million. The volume of new stormwater recharge that is expected to be captured in these facilities is about 12,000 acre-ft/yr, which is worth about $3 million per year. The supplemental water recharge capacity has been expanded from about 25,000 acre-ft/yr to about 80,000 acre-ft/yr. Additional improvements are being planned to increase the stormwater recharge to about 18,000 acre-ft/yr and the supplemental water recharge capacity to about 100,000 acre-ft/yr.

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