‘Rarely seen’: The ground is rising in parts of Fresno County
The ground may be sinking throughout most of the Central Valley, but it’s actually rising in some parts of southern Fresno County. Westlands Water District says thanks to its efforts, the county has seen “measurable uplift” in and around the area between Cantua Creek and Huron. The map below details the change from January 2025 to January 2026 in blue. According to the legend, the land in this area rose at least 1.2 inches. The “rarely seen” phenomenon is the result of efforts borne from the Groundwater Sustainability Plan. It was introduced in 2014 in response to increasingly degraded water quality, land subsidence, and dry wells exacerbated by overpumping and drought.
Other groundwater news:
- SJV Water (Bakersfield, Calif.): State’s groundwater reporting portal still hit or miss as deadline looms
- USGS: Blog: USGS investigates groundwater drought metrics across the US
