A vote last month by the Westlands Water District board to sign off on the environmental impact report for a massive solar project on Fresno County’s westside marked a major milestone in the development of the Valley Clean Infrastructure Plan. … In addition to generating much-needed electricity, VCIP could boost Fresno County’s property tax revenues as well as groundwater supplies. … VCIP will give Westlands and private farm owners the opportunity to sell or lease land for solar companies to develop. If Westlands sells land, it will move onto property tax rolls and boost tax revenues for Fresno County. … Westlands plans to retain small pockets within sold parcels for drill sites to pump water into the ground instead of pumping it out.

Other groundwater news:

• SJV Water (Bakersfield, Calif.): Ag panel to delve into nitrates in San Joaquin Valley groundwater
• Nature Geoscience: Natural hazard susceptibilities and inequities reduced by short-term groundwater use​
• Los Angeles Times: Where a Saudi company pumps desert groundwater, Arizona considers imposing limits