Rainwater is a big concern in brine ponds, an issue that you will likely face unless you are operating ponds that are completely sealed against outside moisture. This water is generally called “makeup” water, and it can slow the evaporation rate in brine ponds where evaporative processes are being used. However, proper planning and design will ensure that makeup water doesn’t effect desired evaporation rates or storage capacity.
One effective way to combat the effects of makeup water is to enlarge the surface of the brine pond so that there is more surface area for water vapor to evaporate from. If one percent of the water in the pond comes from rainwater each year, you’ll only need to increase the pond’s surface area by a small amount to speed the evaporation process and compensate for the extra water. When designing the pond, designers will analyze 25-year storm records to show the highest amounts of rainfall, both rainfall amounts that happen at once, and records over the course of a year. This is done so that designers can ensure that the pond performs as expected even during years with record amounts of precipitation.
