12th International Symposium on Managed Aquifer Recharge

Call for Abstracts

ISMAR 12 will open the doors of opportunity to the rest of the world’s MAR experts and academics to come to South Africa, showcase their specialties, and form the African connections that can provide their companies and institutions with their next international MAR partnership to facilitate new projects and studies, this time in Africa.

From Theory To Implementation And Operation

The main theme “From Theory to Implementation and Operation” places the focus on the latest research, implementation of MAR sites and the practicality of operating MAR schemes.

Managed Aquifer Recharge covers such a wide variety of activities from improving water supply security, reducing environmental impacts – especially linked to dewatering, and adaptations related to climate change. When implementing a MAR scheme, there are several things to consider, such as site selection, the economics of the scheme, the type of scheme and technologies that will provide optimal results, and the legislative requirements.

If you have information to share on any of the topic mentioned above, related topics, or an interesting case study, we invite you to submit your abstracts for ISMAR12.

We have provided 8 sub-themes(below) with more details to guide your submission. You will have the unique opportunity to be part of the conversation and to learn from the experts in the field.

20 September 2024     Deadline to submit abstracts
1  November 2024      Confirmation of abstracts included in the programme

General submission information

Title — 15-word limit

Oral or Poster Presentation abstract — 300-word limit
Format — all submissions must be written in sentence form without bullet points.
Review — all submissions will be peer-reviewed by the Scientific Committee.

The abstract template must be used when submitting your abstract. Click here to download the template.

Expanded Themes

One of the main purposes of MAR is storage of water, whether long-term or just to increase water availability for the next dry season. It may be done on a large scale with huge financial inputs or smaller scale options, with low financial cost, low environmental impact, low maintenance in accordance integrated water resources management and best practice principles. A wide range of topics including case studies, will be covered under this theme, including:

  • Case studies of operational schemes for supplementing daily, seasonal or emergency/drought water supplies
  • Lessons learnt from operational schemes – experience from feasibility studies, design, construction and operation.
  • Potential of MAR in long-term/distance water diversion schemes
  • MAR in conjunctive use of surface water and groundwater
  • Establishing strategic groundwater reserves
  • MAR to complement groundwater &/or surface water in demand management
  • MAR in agriculture for mitigation of a changing climate and growing population.
  • MAR in mining for augmenting water supplies
  • MAR for rural water supply
  • Small scale infiltration structures
  • Sustainable Urban Drainage systems (SUDS)
  • Rainwater/stormwater harvesting
  • Opportunistic MAR – diverting water underground where/when possible
  • MAR in developing countries. Must haves and nice to haves

Methods and technologies linked to MAR as multiplied over the years. The innovations were driven by the site specific issues, opportunities, needs, and imagination of those who implemented it. Below are some ideas of what can be expected under this theme:

  • MAR infrastructure including bore/well design, injection/infiltration design & equipment, pumps, etc.
  • Transfer and Treatment: Filtration, Biodegradation and Attenuation with MAR
  • Riverbank Filtration
  • Water reclamation technologies for MAR and reclaimed water reuse via aquifers
  • MAR with desalinated water
  • MAR for drinking water quality improvement
  • Techniques to break/recycle emergent compounds
  • Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR)
  • Advances and innovations in scheme designs
  • Construction criteria of MAR schemes
  • Operations and maintenance of MAR
  • Geothermal and heating applications
  • Flood MAR

There is a process behind selecting the most suitable sites for MAR schemes. This includes looking at the need for a MAR scheme, criteria that will be used in the selection process and then site specific issues and studies that need to be to be done. This theme will look at the methodologies that are used during site selection, assessment of sites, developing maps around sites that are suitable for MAR schemes, and related modelling, as set out below:

  • Methodologies for the selection of aquifers/sites
  • MAR mapping methodologies
  • New MAR maps
  • Assessment of potential MAR sites
  • Geophysical methods for assessment
  • MAR and Modelling
    • New developments and codes
    • Practical examples, water quality interaction codes
    • Hydro-economic modelling
  • Stages in new MAR developments
  • Living lab test sites

It is not always possible to develop a MAR scheme that is problem free. Water quality issues include source water with less than ideal quality, or with variable quality. In addition, microplastics, antibiotic resistance pathogens and other contaminants of emerging concern has become a much talked-about topic. The ideal would be to have source water that has a better quality than the receiving environment, but it is not always possible – which is where pretreatment options and natural attenuation could play a role.

Clogging is the bane of many MAR schemes. It would therefore be of special importance to be able to predict the potential of clogging of both basins and boreholes, but it is not always possible to prevent it.

This topic will consider water quality issues and everything related to it, as well as clogging – estimating the potential, detection of clogging and the prevention thereof.

  • Methods of estimating clogging potential for new recharge sites – indicative tests, parameters and modelling
  • Detecting clogging processes – what to monitor for early detection
  • Prevention – Best practice considerations, practical must haves and new field advances
  • Remediating clogged recharge sites – common techniques, remediation frequencies and innovations
  • Water quality requirements for source water – pretreatment options and natural attenuation
  • Microplastics, antibiotic resistance pathogens and contaminants of emerging concern

The regulatory requirements around MAR are intended to protect the groundwater resources both for the receiving environment and the intended use. Not all regulations are created equal, with some addressing the development and operation of MAR scheme better than others. Over time, it is possible to determine the success of the regulatory framework, to determine how effective it is to protect groundwater resources and the environment, and how it can contribute to the development of decision support systems. This theme will look at all things regulatory regarding MAR.

  • MAR worldwide regulations
  • MAR policies, quality standards and institutional innovation to facilitate MAR
  • Water banks, groundwater user groups and transboundary considerations
  • Governance Decision Support Systems (DSS)
  • Social weight on MAR. Co-managed aquifer recharge (Co-MAR)

Nothing is for free, and MAR schemes are no exception. This theme will look at every related to the MAR schemes. It will range from the cost benefit analysis – that will be used to motivate for the establishment of a MAR scheme compared to other water supply schemes on the one hand, to the potential environmental cost, to the development of a business plan that would help fund the operations and maintenance of the scheme.

  • Cost benefit analysis of MAR
  • Financing MAR for water and food security
  • Water footprint from MAR activities
  • Green and blue waters
  • Public Procurement of MAR Innovative Solutions
  • Development of business plan for costing of MAR scheme
  • Cost comparison in water resource development

No action is without consequences, even if the intention of MAR is to ensure sustainability and to adapt to a changing climate. It is important to make sure that the impact of MAR on the environment is limited and that all aspects are considered when developing a MAR scheme. This theme will consider MAR from an environmental impact, sustainability and climate change adaptation perspective. It will also include subjects such as monitoring and health issues.

  • Mitigating geological/geotechnical impacts using MAR, land subsidence, collapses
  • Riparian restoration
  • Innovation in harvesting and storing flood water
  • Detention and infiltration systems
  • Mitigation of climate change adverse impacts by means of MAR
  • MAR and environmental impacts/risks
  • MAR for mitigating saltwater intrusion
  • MAR health aspects
    • Removal and fate of microorganisms and organic compounds
    • Fate of pathogens in the aquifer and fate of pollutants of concern in MAR system
    • Microbial ecology of MAR aquifer storage zones
  • MAR for mitigating dewatering impacts in mining and construction
    • Case studies of operational schemes for mitigating mining and construction impacts
    • MAR technologies specifically suited to the mining and construction sectors
    • Recharge boundaries between dewatering sites and groundwater receptors.
  • MAR and monitoring
    • Water management and MAR innovative systems
    • IT applications, normalization, standardization and interoperability advances
    • Operational monitoring

This theme will consider ways to increase awareness on MAR, especially with decision makers that may not have the technical expertise and scientific understanding linked to the MAR schemes. It will also include training of operators, water resources managers and other role players in the industry.

  • Training for MAR operators
  • Training for future water managers
  • Dissemination strategies and examples
  • Bench-learning
  • Sector focus – dependent on needs of agriculture, municipal supply, mining and industries
  • Marketing to decision makers
  • Awareness and changing perceptions

The Scientific Committee Members:

Dr Nicolette Vermaak, University of the Free State
Dr Ricky Murray, Groundwater Africa
Dr John Okedi, University of Cape Town
Kes Murray, Wallbridge Gilbert Aztec – Australia
Dr Kornelius Riemann, Umvoto Africa
Awodwa Maging, Department of Water and Sanitation
Danita Hohn, Geoss
Prof Reynold Chow, Stellenbosch University
Yazeed van Wyk, Water Research Commission