R-Cubed - Mojave Water Agency

The Regional Recharge and Recovery Project, known as “R³,” is a conjunctive use project currently under construction that will store State Water Project (SWP) water underground in the local aquifer and later recover and distribute the water to local retail water purveyors. R³ is part of a comprehensive solution developed by the MWA and the region’s stakeholders to ensure a sustainable water supply for the region. R³ is an integral part of the Regional Water Management portfolio identified in MWA’s 2004 Regional Water Management Plan. The project will deliver SWP water fromt the California Aqueduct in Hesperia to recharge sites in the floodplain aquifer along the Mojave River in Hesperia and southern Apple Valley. MWA-owned production wells on either side of the Mojave River located immediately downstream of the recharge area will then recover and deliver the stored water through pipelines directly to retail water agencies.

This project will provide a new source of supply for major water providers in the Mojave Basin and offset their need to continue excessive pumping within   the declining regional aquifer system. Water providers that benefit from the R3 Project could include the Apple Valley Ranchos Water Company, City of Adelanto, City of Hesperia, Golden State Water Company, San Bernardino County Service Area 64 and the   Victorville Water District. Phase 1 of the project (15,000 afy of supply) is currently under construction and Phase 2 is planned to be completed after 2015.