… A few years ago, local farmers partnered with the State, local water agencies and community organizations through LandFlex to reduce groundwater pumping where those reductions could make the greatest difference. … Since its launch in late 2022, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) reports that LandFlex has awarded $23.3 million to six Groundwater Sustainability Agencies and helped save more than 100,000 acre-feet of groundwater while protecting approximately 16,500 drinking water wells. The program also reduced over-pumping, supported recharge and helped protect critical water infrastructure from land subsidence. Those results should matter as California decides how to continue investing Proposition 4 funding.
–Written by Frank Mendonsa, dairy farmer and board member of Western United Dairies.

Other groundwater management news:

• Citrus Heights Sentinel: Opinion: Water reliability depends on more than water supply
• The Conversation: Blog: Cities across the world are sinking because of groundwater depletion. But the process can be reversed
• Nature Communications: Study: Rapid urban land uplift enhanced by crustal faults during groundwater recovery