Study on Water Banking and Groundwater Security Published
A new research article, published in the August 2026 issue of Groundwater for Sustainable Development, highlights the role water banking can play in strengthening groundwater supplies during drought and under a changing climate. The article, "Testing water banking recovery policies to secure drought water supply in semi-arid areas with a changing climate," co-authored by WRRC Director Sharon B. Megdal, examines how managed aquifer recharge and water banking can help improve long-term water security in semi-arid regions. Co-author Rebecca Bernat, a former WRRC graduate research associate, is the recently appointed Executive Director of the Arizona Water Banking Authority (ABWA).
The study analyzes five case studies from the United States and Australia. Of the two case studies led by U of A researchers, one examines the AWBA. Using decades of historical data, the researchers evaluated how different water banking policies perform under changing climate conditions. Their findings show that water banking can significantly improve drought resilience, particularly in aquifers with high water retention, while emphasizing the importance of recovery policies that encourage long-term, rather than short-term, groundwater storage.