When a landowner takes actions to increase recharge on his or her property, that water provides direct benefits. Although water in the aquifer does flow horizontally, flow rates are extremely slow (½-1 mile per 10 years). Thus, the water is functionally compartmentalized in a given area.
In general, water recharging today through playas will be available for our children and/or grandchildren. The time it takes for recharge to reach the aquifer and be available for extraction varies depending on depth to the aquifer formation and underlying soil type. If it is shallow, water will recharge in months to years. If the depth is approximately 100 feet, it will take years to decades. If the depth is approximately 200 feet, water will recharge in decades. At the deepest locations, recharge could take a century to reach the aquifer.