Almond orchards may be key to water storage
The next “big thing” in California water development may not be soaring 300-foot high dams. Instead, it may be intentionally diverting winter storm runoff to flood almond orchards northeast of Ripon and vineyards near Manteca and similar permanent cropland throughout the San Joaquin Valley. Proactive recharging of groundwater using California’s immense acreage of permanent crops such as almond orchards and grape vineyards could emerge as a pivotal and critical component of a plan to meet water demands as well as address hydrology patterns expected to be modified by climate change.
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