Simulated artificial recharge in the Big Sioux Aquifer in Minnehaha County, South Dakota

The Big Sioux aquifer in Minnehaha County is a water-table aquifer hydraulically connected to the Big Sioux River. A digital-computer model previously developed by the U.S. Geological Survey was used to simulate potential effects of artificial recharge on the aquifer. A simulation was made by recharging water at the rate of 870 gallons per minute for four 30-day periods. Total water recharged to the aquifer during the 120 days was 150.3 million gallons. About 24.4 million gallons of water discharged from the aquifer to the river during the 120-day recharge period and about 30 million gallons discharged from the aquifer to the river during three 30-day recovery periods, both as a result of the artificial recharge, therefore, a total of 54.4 million gallons or 36 percent of the 150.3 million gallons that was artificially recharged from the aquifer to the river. (USGS)