CAPTURE
Event-driven diversion of surplus flow only (not baseflow extraction).
Section 01
SOLUTION / ENGINEERING SYSTEM, END TO END
TREAT
Tiered treatment trains matched to source risk class and aquifer vulnerability.
STORE + RECOVER
Pressure-managed ASR with monitoring wells and audited recovery accounting.
The system is built around one non-negotiable rule: capture flood surplus without harming downstream ecosystems, legal rights holders, or existing flow commitments.
Section 02
HOW CAPTURE WORKS WITHOUT DOWNSTREAM HARM
FLOW THRESHOLD TRIGGERS
Diversion opens only when river flow exceeds seasonal triggers and protected downstream allocations.
08-engineering-design-basis.md §3
LEGAL + ECOLOGICAL GUARDRAILS
Environmental reserve and senior water rights checks run in real time; curtailment blocks diversion automatically.
05-engineering-masterplan.md §1-2, 08-engineering-design-basis.md §3
FAIL-CLOSED INTERLOCKS
Trips on low flow, rights calls, turbidity spikes, contaminant alarms, or pressure exceedance.
08-engineering-design-basis.md §3.4
Section 03
TREATMENT + INJECTION CREDIBILITY
01
Capture
02
Treat
03
Inject
04
Store
05
Recover
TREATMENT TRAINS
- Class A/B water: screening, solids removal, filtration, disinfection.
- Class C/D water: enhanced barriers (GAC/AOP/targeted polishing) as required.
- Objective: protect aquifer chemistry and long-term recoverability.
WELLFIELD DESIGN
- Archetype-specific design for alluvial, karst, confined, and fractured systems.
- Sentinel monitoring wells for plume and pressure tracking.
- Rehabilitation cycles triggered by injectivity decline.
Section 04
NO-HARM COMPLIANCE ARCHITECTURE
Section 05
PHASED BUILD SEQUENCE
0-5 YEARS
Pilot basins, permitting templates, hydrogeologic calibration, and lender-grade operating data.
5-12 YEARS
Regional scale-out with standardized modules, offtake contracts, and interoperable controls.
12-25 YEARS
National network integration, drought dispatch coordination, and long-duration reserve operations.
The Engineering Is Proven. The Investment Case Is Clear.
ASR delivers 4-9:1 benefit-cost ratios under megadrought scenarios, with regional BCRs up to 4.59:1 (Edwards) even under moderate drought. See how the numbers work.
SOLUTION FAQ
What is Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR)?
ASR captures surplus stormwater and floodwater, treats it to drinking water standards, injects it into underground aquifers for long-term storage, and recovers it during drought. Over 200 ASR systems operate in the U.S. today with a 40+ year track record. It's proven infrastructure, not experimental technology.
How much does stormwater harvesting via ASR cost?
Total program costs range from $114B to $434B depending on scale and deployment speed, with annual operating costs of $9B–$36B at full deployment. Per acre-foot costs vary by region and aquifer type, but benefit-cost ratios reach 9.44:1 under megadrought conditions — making it the highest-ROI water infrastructure available.
Does ASR harm downstream ecosystems?
No. The system captures only flood surplus — water that would otherwise flow to the ocean unused. Diversions activate only when flow exceeds seasonal thresholds, environmental reserves, and legal water-right protections. Fail-closed interlocks automatically shut down capture if any condition is violated.
How long does it take to build ASR infrastructure?
The 25-year build plan starts with pilot wellfields in years 0–5, scales to regional networks in years 5–12, and achieves national resilience by year 25. Early pilots can begin delivering water security benefits within 3–5 years while the larger network builds out.