… Decades of unreliable surface water left San Joaquin Valley farmers no choice but to pump groundwater — with severe consequences. Sinking land, cracked infrastructure and reduced capacity to the California Aqueduct that delivers water to millions in Southern California. The good news: Subsidence can be slowed — and potentially reversed. Since 2023, Westlands’ farmers recharged over 470,000 acre-feet of groundwater, restoring water levels by 200 feet in some areas. Injection wells have lifted land by half a foot. In one important location, subsidence stopped completely.
–Written by Allison Febbo, general manager of the Westlands Water District.

Other groundwater news:

• Smart Water Magazine: How Orange County’s GRWS [Groundwater Replenishment System] revolutionized water reuse