California growers face groundwater restrictions
“In the wake of one of the state’s worst droughts in modern history, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) became law in California in 2014. It’s intended to ensure better local and regional management of groundwater use, with the overall goal being sustainable groundwater management by 2042. The state’s growers will face increasing pressure to justify their water usage, and depending on their location, could face tough restrictions. Irrigation suppliers are of course very familiar with the law, so we asked them how they can help growers, and what advice they might offer. Here’s a sampling of their responses … ” Read more from Growing Produce here: California growers face groundwater restrictions
Groundwater information is no longer out of depth
“Water is constantly on the move: through the air, through waterways, and underground. Life depends on a consistent supply of water and details about its journey are necessary for understanding and managing this dynamic resource. However, those details are often difficult to measure. UConn Ph.D. candidate Danielle Hare, in the lab of associate professor of Natural Resources and the Environment Ashley Helton, has expanded on a novel method to easily access vital details about groundwater, and in doing so, they have discovered that many streams are more vulnerable to stressors like climate change than previously thought. The team has published their findings in the latest issue of Nature Communications. … ” Read more from Water Online here: Groundwater information is no longer out of depth
Managing water and crops with groundwater salinity – a growing menace
“Salinity is an eventual threat to agriculture and groundwater sustainability in parts of California, and other irrigated parts of the world. Irrigation, lower groundwater levels, and natural conditions have dramatically increased groundwater salinity in parts of California over the last 150 years (Hansen et al. 2018). Nearly two million tons of salt accumulates per year in the San Joaquin Valley (CV-SALTS), where 250,000 acres of irrigated land have been fallowed, 1.5 million acres are potentially salt-impaired (Great Valley Center 2005), with $1.2 – $2.2 billion/year losses by 2030 (Howitt et al. 2009) without management. Managing groundwater with salinity can differ fundamentally from conjunctive water management without salinity, which was summarized in a previous blog post. … ” Read more from the California Water Blog here: Managing water and crops with groundwater salinity – a growing menace
Paso Robles: Supervisors discuss water resources and amendments
” … After closed session, the Board returned to hear the Water 
Management Amendment 18 to Water Supply Contract between the State of California Department of Water Resources and San Luis Obispo County Flood Control and Water Conservation District. This amendment would give more flexibility to the county in how they want to use any additional water over the allowed holding while still requiring that every use would have to come before the Board to be approved. Peschong stated his concerns on behalf of his constituents, “We really have gone out of our way not to allow water banking. If I can cut to one thing, this is what I worry about. [The verbiage of the amendment is] not strong enough to let the state know this is not the place they can store water underground.” ... ” Read more from the Paso Robles Press here: Paso Robles: Supervisors discuss water resources and amendments
Commentary: Dry year intensifies focus on California groundwater
Danny Merkley, director of water resources for the California Farm Bureau writes, “Each March, those of us involved in water policy commemorate National Groundwater Awareness Week. Because groundwater represents such a precious resource to California farmers and ranchers, Farm Bureau works to promote groundwater awareness throughout the year. In 2014, the state Legislature passed the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, or SGMA, the most sweeping water management legislation in 100 years. Since then, the California Farm Bureau has been assisting members with understanding, engaging and complying with SGMA. Groundwater aquifers are best understood and managed locally; therefore, the key to successfully implementing SGMA lies in maintaining local control, something Farm Bureau vigorously advocates. In addition, we have stressed that to reduce dependence on groundwater, we must expand surface water storage and recharge our groundwater aquifers when excess water is available. … ” Read more from the California Farm Bureau Federation here: Commentary: Dry year intensifies focus on California groundwater