Effects of Snow Water Storage on Hydrologic Partitioning Across the Mountainous, Western United States

American Geophysical Union (AGU) | July 12th, 2023

The retention of snow water storage and subsequent release of stored water in summer months resulted in increased hydrologic partitioning to streamflow. If the Snow Stora

The retention of snow water storage and subsequent release of stored water in summer months resulted in increased hydrologic partitioning to streamflow. If the Snow Storage Index (SSI) decreases with future warming, the volume of water partitioned streamflow will decrease non-uniformly across the western U.S. with substantial implications for ecosystemsand agricultural, industrial, and domestic water supplies.

Effects of Surface-Water Use on Domestic Groundwater Availability and Quality During Drought in the Sierra Nevada Foothills, California

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) | January 13th, 2020

Approximately 2 million California residents rely on privately owned domestic wells for drinking water. During the California drought of 2012−16 groundwater lev

Approximately 2 million California residents rely on privately owned domestic wells for drinking water. During the California drought of 2012−16 groundwater levels declined in many parts of the state and wells were deepened in response. Most of the wells deepened during this time were domestic wells that were drilled into fractured bedrock throughout the Sierra Nevada foothills region of northern California (California Department of Water Resources, 2014). To understand the impacts of extreme drought on groundwater supply availability and quality in this setting, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) completed a geochemical survey of domestic wells throughout the Yuba and Bear River watersheds during 2015–16 (fig. 1) as part of the State Water Board’s Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment Program Priority Basin Project (GAMA-PBP). This fact sheet highlights key findings from the GAMA-PBP assessment (Levy and others, 2020).

Emerging trends in global freshwater availability

Nature Portfolio (Springer Nature) | May 17th, 2018

Freshwater availability is changing worldwide. Here we quantify 34 trends in terrestrial water storage observed by the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) sat

Freshwater availability is changing worldwide. Here we quantify 34 trends in terrestrial water storage observed by the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites during 2002–2016 and categorize their drivers as natural interannual variability, unsustainable groundwater consumption, climate change or combinations thereof. Several of these trends had been lacking thorough investigation and attribution, including massive changes in northwestern China and the Okavango Delta. Others are consistent with climate model predictions. This observation-based assessment of how the world’s water landscape is responding to human impacts and climate variations provides a blueprint for evaluating and predicting emerging threats to water and food security.

Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) for the Cadiz Groundwater Storage Dry-Year Supply Program

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) | September 13th, 2001

In February 1999, Metropolitan issued a Notice of Preparation of an EIR for the Cadiz Project which would be constructed and operated by Metropolitan in the Cadiz and Fe

In February 1999, Metropolitan issued a Notice of Preparation of an EIR for the Cadiz Project which would be constructed and operated by Metropolitan in the Cadiz and Fenner Valleys of the eastern Mojave Desert, San Bernardino County, California. The BLM determined that an EIS would be required as the proposed action includes an amendment of the CDCA Plan for an exception to the utility corridor requirements and grant(s) of right-of-way across federal lands. The BLM issued a Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS for the proposed action in March 1999. In May 1999, the BLM issued a Notice of Public Meeting and extension of the scoping comment period. The Draft EIR/EIS was published in November 1999 with a 104-day public review period that ended in March 2000. Because numerous comments raised questions regarding groundwater management issues, a Supplement to the Draft EIR/EIS was prepared to provide additional information and to present the Groundwater Monitoring and Management Plan (Management Plan) that has been incorporated into the proposed project. The Management Plan will govern the water storage and extraction operations in the affected groundwater basins to ensure that project operations will not result in any unacceptable adverse impacts to groundwater resources or air quality. The Supplement to the Draft EIR/EIS was circulated for an 80-day public review period that ended in January 2001. The Cadiz Project is proposed by Metropolitan who is acting in partnership with the private company Cadiz Inc. The project will involve construction and operation of a 35-mile pipeline for conveying water between the Iron Mountain Pumping Plant on the Colorado River Aqueduct and the Cadiz/Fenner area, a Cadiz Pumping Plant at Metropolitan.s existing Iron Mountain Pumping Plant facility, 390 acres of spreading basins for percolation of Colorado River water into the groundwater basin in the Cadiz/Fenner area, a wellfield for extracting stored Colorado River water and indigenous groundwater, and associated power poles and line along the conveyance pipeline and in the wellfield. This Final EIR/EIS contains comments received on the Draft EIR/EIS and the Supplement to the Draft EIR/EIS, detailed responses to those comments, and integrates the information contained in the Draft EIR/EIS and Supplement to the Draft EIR/EIS with revisions as appropriate in response to comments.

Estimated ground-water discharge by evapotranspiration from Death Valley, California

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) | July 1st, 2003

Estimated Ground-Water Withdrawals from the Death Valley Regional Flow System

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) | July 1st, 2003

Estuary News, April 1993

Publisher not available | April 15th, 1993

Estuary News, December 2003

San Francisco Estuary Partnership (SFEP) | December 15th, 2003

Estuary News, February 1996

San Francisco Estuary Partnership (SFEP) | February 15th, 1996

Estuary News, June 1994

San Francisco Estuary Partnership (SFEP) | June 15th, 1994