REPORT Hydrogeological site investigation and economic evaluation to assess the potential of managed aquifer recharge in the Lower Jordan Valley Julian Xanke 1 & Amer Salman 2 & Emad Al-Karablieh 2 & Tanja Liesch 1 & Elias Salameh 3 & Nico Goldscheider 1 Received: 17 January 2019 /Accepted: 4 October 2019 # Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2019 Abstract Improving water availability and distribution is key to combatting water stress in semi-arid regions. This study presents an approach that integrates hydrogeological surveys and economic analysis at a pilot site in the eastern Lower Jordan Valley to assess the potential for managed aquifer recharge (MAR). Based on exploratory drillings, hydraulic tests, water-quality analyses and previous studies, an appropriate storage space in the alluvial fans along the eastern margin of the valley was found. Average measured infiltration rates of 9.8 × 10 -5 m/s in a gravel pit and average hydraulic conductivity values of 6.8 × 10 -5 m/s in the aquifer indicate that up to 1 Mm 3 /year can be infiltrated and stored underground. It is assumed that water is trapped towards the center of the valley where the alluvial sediments inter-finger with fine-grained layers. An increase in electrical conductivity values in the same direction probably indicates irrigation return flow and the presence of evaporitic layers and suggests a water recovery before reaching these saline zones. Depending on whether the water provided by MAR is used for irrigation or domestic water purpose, an average incremental profit of 0.81 and 2.44 US$/m 3 can be achieved, respectively. These calculations result in a net present value of the MAR plant of 10.6 or 31.9 million US$, respectively, over a lifetime of 30 years. The presented study serves as a basis for further investigations and planning of a MAR plant, and can be transferred and upscaled to other sites in the Jordan Valley. Keywords Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) . Unconsolidated aquifer . Hydrogeology . Socio-economic aspects . Jordan Introduction Appropriate allocation and sustainable management of water resources is essential in water-scarce countries since unequal spatial distribution of limited water resources often leads to water stress (Goonetilleke and Vithanage 2017; Wheater et al. 2007). In many countries such as Jordan, the poor water situ- ation has been exacerbated by a rapid population growth from about 0.5 million in the 1950s to about 10 million in 2018 (UN 2018). The associated increase in water demand (MWI 2016) has consequently resulted in overexploited aquifers. Moreover, water supply management is challenged due to the semi-arid climate with its high seasonal variability in water availability with long summer droughts and heavy winter pre- cipitation (Scanlon et al. 2006; Koundouri and Karousakis 2006). In many cases, it is necessary to import water and transport it over long distances and elevation changes to over- come water shortages, although it is often cost-intensive and inefficient (Anderson and Landry 2001; Murakami 1995). Surface reservoirs are commonly used to temporarily store surface water or runoff from intense rainfall and bridge water shortages (World Commission on Dams 2000) with the disad- vantage that water is exposed to evaporation and pollution (Carpenter et al. 1998; Al-Taani 2013). Consequently, cost- intensive water treatment is often necessary in order to use the water especially for drinking-water purposes. A well-established approach in water management is man- aged aquifer recharge (MAR), where water is locally stored in the subsoil for bridging dry periods, and preventing contami- nation and evaporation (Dillon 2005; Dillon et al. 2018). * Julian Xanke julian.xanke@kit.edu 1 Institute of Applied Geosciences, Division of Hydrogeology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Adenauerring 20b, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany 2 Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Management, School of Agriculture, The University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan 3 Center for Strategic Studies, University of Jordan, Amman, Jubeiha 11942, Jordan https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-019-02058-0 Hydrogeology Journal (2020) 28:745–762 /Published online: 25 2019 November