Final answer:
Groundwater recharge is a method used to increase the potentiometric surface, allowing water to flow naturally without pumping and resulting in an increased groundwater amount. It's crucial for maintaining a sufficient supply of fresh water for drinking and irrigation.
Step-by-step explanation:
To increase the height of the potentiometric surface so that water flows to end users without the need for pumping, one can use the method of groundwater recharge. This process involves the addition of water to a recharge area, which has several practical effects, most notably an increased amount of groundwater. This is important because groundwater is a significant subsurface reservoir of fresh water that is crucial for drinking and irrigation.
Aquifer storage and recovery is another method that can be used to increase water availability without pumping, by storing water during times of surplus and recovering it during times of high demand. Overpumping can have adverse effects, such as creating a cone of depression or leading to saltwater intrusion, so it is essential to manage groundwater sources sustainably.