Challenge

As part of the Sun City Festival Master Planned Community in Buckeye, Arizona, Pulte Group and the City of Buckeye needed a sustainable, long-term water management solution to replenish groundwater resources through a new underground storage facility. Because the recharge site was not predetermined during community planning, identifying a suitable location and technology that met hydrogeologic, operational, and regulatory requirements was critical to project success.

Solutions

GLA provided comprehensive hydrogeologic consulting services from initial site evaluation through permitting. Our team:

• Conducted siting, technology evaluation, and conceptual design, assessing vadose zone infiltration options including basins, trenches, and injection wells for a recharge site.
• Performed pilot recharge testing to evaluate infiltration capacity and inform long-term recharge performance.
• Developed hydrogeologic analyses, including groundwater mounding, Area of Impact, Discharge Impact Area, and particle tracking modeling to support Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) Underground Storage Facility (USF) and Water Storage (WS) applications.
• Coordinated extensively with ADWR, Maricopa County Flood Control District, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to streamline permitting and resolve regulatory complexities.
• Provided data-driven responses to ADWR inquiries, ensuring technical and regulatory alignment throughout the approval process.

Results

Our integrated approach led to ADWR’s approval of the Wagner Wash USF and WS permits. The project established a new, permitted recharge facility to enhance groundwater sustainability for the growing Sun City Festival community.