This aerial view looks northeast over the Kern Water Bank, 30 square miles of protected natural environment in Kern County. Located to the southwest of Bakersfield, California, the Kern Water Bank stores excess water supplies that are available when rainfall or runoff is plentiful by recharging that water through shallow ponds into a underground aquifer. The stored water is then recovered in times of need by pumping it out with wells. Photo taken October 26, 2009.
Dale Kolke / California Department of Water Resources