Surveillance and Monitoring Program (SAMP) Revised Final Report

Central Valley Salinity Alternatives for Long-Term Sustainability (CV-SALTS) | December 1st, 2016

Among other things, the State Recycled Water Policy (SRWP) requires that development of the Salt and Nitrate Management Plan (SNMP) include the following element (S

Among other things, the State Recycled Water Policy (SRWP) requires that development of the Salt and Nitrate Management Plan (SNMP) include the following element (SRWP Section 6.b.3 (a)): “A basin/sub‐basin wide monitoring plan that includes an appropriate network of monitoring locations. The scale of the basin/subbasin monitoring plan is dependent upon the sitespecific conditions and shall be adequate to provide a reasonable, cost‐effective means of determining whether the concentrations of salt, nutrients, and other constituents of concern as identified in the salt and nutrient plans are consistent with applicable water quality objectives.” Furthermore, “Salts, nutrients, and the constituents identified in paragraph 6(b)(1)(f) shall be monitored. The frequency of monitoring shall be determined in the salt/nutrient management plan and approved by the Regional Water Board pursuant to paragraph 6(b)(2).” This report describes the CV‐SALTS Surveillance and Monitoring Program (SAMP), which was developed to meet the monitoring requirements of the SRWP.

Sustainability of irrigated agriculture in the San Joaquin Valley, California

National Academy of Sciences (NAS) | October 25th, 2005

The sustainability of irrigated agriculture in many arid and semiarid areas of the world is at risk because of a combination of several interrelated factors, including

The sustainability of irrigated agriculture in many arid and semiarid areas of the world is at risk because of a combination of several interrelated factors, including lack of fresh water, lack of drainage, the presence of high water tables, and salinization of soil and groundwater resources. Nowhere in the United States are these issues more apparent than in the San Joaquin Valley of California. A solid understanding of salinization processes at regional spatial and decadal time scales is required to evaluate the sustainability of irrigated agriculture. A hydro-salinity model was developed to integrate subsurface hydrology with reactive salt transport for a 1,400-km2 study area in the San Joaquin Valley. The model was used to reconstruct historical changes in salt storage by irrigated agriculture over the past 60 years. We show that patterns in soil and groundwater salinity were caused by spatial variations in soil hydrology, the change from local groundwater to snowmelt water as the main irrigation water supply, and by occasional droughts. Gypsum dissolution was a critical component of the regional salt balance. Although results show that the total salt input and output were about equal for the past 20 years, the model also predicts salinization of the deeper aquifers, thereby questioning the sustainability of irrigated agriculture.

Sustainable Groundwater Management Act Governance Strategies Summary Report

California State University, Fresno (CSUF) | September 15th, 2021

A three-bill legislative package, referred to as the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), created a fundamental change in the governance of California’s groun

A three-bill legislative package, referred to as the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), created a fundamental change in the governance of California’s groundwater. SGMA requires, with some exceptions, the formation of groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs) for identified groundwater subbasins. Signed into law in 2014 by Governor Jerry Brown, it set forth a long-term, statewide framework to protect groundwater resources. This report outlines the initial implementation of these new laws by the GSAs in 21 critically overdrafted groundwater subbasins2. Based on a review of multiple statutes, regulations, early research, official government documents and interviews with individuals involved in the process, the authors explain how these first GSAs were created and the organizational and governance challenges they navigated. Once formed, the GSAs were charged with the development and implementation of groundwater sustainability plans (GSPs). The purpose of a GSP is to avoid the undesirable results of groundwater depletion and mitigate overdraft within 20 years. A review of the formation process for this set of GSAs was particularly instructive as they were required to meet a set of SGMA requirements two years earlier than the remaining legislatively identified basins. Presented in an approach that moves from the general to the specific, this report documents the historic process of how 125 GSAs began to implement SGMA. In addition, this report provides important baseline information to help researchers, regulators, policy makers and GSAs themselves, in the development and evaluation of governance and future governance strategies, statutes and regulatory actions. The report is organized into two major topics. 1. Governance structure choices available to GSAs and the GSA formation process set forth in SGMA, including: Specific examples of GSA governance choices. How governance choices were influenced by the preparation and financing of GSPs. 2. Summary findings and observations from interviews of policymakers, technical experts, and thought leaders on their perception of the GSA governance decision-making process and the improvements they believe would benefit SGMA outcomes.The interviewees’ insights reflect the experience they gained during the formation of the critically overdrafted basins GSAs. They identified key elements they felt would be helpful when forming future GSAs, most notably: Providing simplified groundwater science education information for managers, leaders, and groundwaters users. Implementing agency leadership training so the organizational structures and efforts of GSAs can be fully responsive to constituents. Heightening attention relative to some of the beneficial uses of groundwater that were not adequately addressed by GSPs, such as small domestic wells and environmental needs. These experts also observed that implementation of SGMA is an iterative process and that time will be needed to develop, implement, measure, and improve the results of groundwater management strategies. A variety of additional sources of information are offered throughout this report. In addition, Appendix A includes searchable links and information on GSAs, GSPs and other governance elements found in DWR’s (Department of Water Resources) SGMA Portal.

Sustained groundwater loss in California's Central Valley exacerbated by intense drought periods

American Geophysical Union (AGU) | July 4th, 2018

The accelerated rate of decline in groundwater levels across California’s Central Valley resultsfrom overdrafting and low rates of natural recharge and is exacerbated b

The accelerated rate of decline in groundwater levels across California’s Central Valley resultsfrom overdrafting and low rates of natural recharge and is exacerbated by droughts. The lack of observations with an adequate spatiotemporal resolution to constrain the evolution of groundwater resources poses severe challenges to water management efforts. Here we present SAR interferometric measurements of high-resolution vertical land motion across the valley, revealing multiscale patterns of aquifer hydrogeological properties and groundwater storage change. Investigating the depletion and degradation of the aquifer-system during 2007–2010, when the entire valley experienced a severe drought, we find that ~2% of total aquifer-system storage was permanently lost, owing to irreversible compaction of the system. Over this period, the seasonal groundwater storage change amplitude of10.11 ± 2.5 km3modulates a long-term groundwater storage decline of 21.32 ± 7.2 km3. Estimates for subbasins show more complex patterns, most likely associated with local hydrogeology, recharge, demand, and underground flow. Presented measurements of aquifer-system compaction provide a more complete understanding of groundwater dynamics and can potentially be used to improve water security.

Tehachapi Reclaimed Water Project

City of Tehachapi | September 24th, 2024

As part of the proposed project, the City would change the location of application of the secondary treated effluent produced at the Tehachapi WWTP from the agricultural

As part of the proposed project, the City would change the location of application of the secondary treated effluent produced at the Tehachapi WWTP from the agricultural fields near the Tehachapi Municipal Airport to a new location south of the Borrow Pit. Overall WWTP effluent production and WWTP throughput capacity would remain unchanged as would the time of year of application (from April to October).

Ten Rivers in America's Future, No. 2. The Central Valley of California

U.S. Water Resources Policy Commission | July 1st, 1950

Tentative Ruling, Friant Water Authority vs. Eastern Tule Groundwater Sustainability Agency

Superior Court of California, County of Tulare | June 25th, 2024

The Economic Impact of the Westlands Water District on the Local and Regional Economy

Westlands Water District | October 11th, 2016

To anyone who visits the Westlands Water District (the District), the one reality that is most obvious to the observer is that agriculture IS the economy in the communiti

To anyone who visits the Westlands Water District (the District), the one reality that is most obvious to the observer is that agriculture IS the economy in the communities within and immediately surrounding the Westlands Water District. It is an area characterized by wide open fields-often populated with crops and occasional small pockets of residential and (rarer) retail-usually at the intersections of roads. Not only is agriculture the primary employer, but government, agricultural support industries and the limited general retail sector comprise the full course of jobs within the district and its immediate environs. Nearly every business in the district is related to agriculture or supporting the needs of the workers who support those working in agriculture. Westlands Water District is perched on the eastern side of Interstate 5 in the Central Valley covering the geography between roughly Kettleman City in the south and Firebaugh in the north. As the largest agricultural water district in the nation, it plays a central role in the economies of both Fresno and Kings Counties. This analysis unravels the story of Westlands' contributions to the local economy, exploring the demographics and economy of the region, agriculture's major role in that economy, estimating the economic contributions of growers within the District's boundaries, and providing a preliminary assessment of the consequences of current water policies on crop production, and giving a preview of what some of the implications of those changes may be.

The Effect of Declining Groundwater Levels on Supply Well Operations

University of California, Davis (UC Davis) | August 15th, 2016

This report explores the impact of droughts on domestic and irrigation well operations. Well completion reports and groundwater depth data obtained from the Department of

This report explores the impact of droughts on domestic and irrigation well operations. Well completion reports and groundwater depth data obtained from the Department of Water Resources were used in the analysis. The percentages of wells in which the top, middle or bottom of the screened interval became exposed above the pumping water level were calculated and implied maintenance or replacement costs were estimated. Increases in pumping costs from greater depths to groundwater were estimated as well. For our case study, we selected a 27 square mile area in Tulare County, where the California Department of Water Resources has determined that groundwater is in a state of critical overdraft and designated the basin as High Priority under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. Results indicate that for the 2015 drought, there was significant potential for incurring well maintenance and replacement costs as a result of drought conditions and water levels approaching critical points in the screened intervals. While the assumptions associated with the current method appear to result in overestimation of impacts, the current drought may have resulted in several million dollars in well maintenance and replacement costs. For irrigation wells that remained in operation, increased depths to groundwater would increase overall pumping costs. About $5.31 per acre ($1.7 per acre-foot) were estimated as increased pumping costs in the recent 2012-2015 drought. While these costs are not large on a per acre basis, they may be significant when incurred across large agricultural areas. This proof of concept analysis highlights the value of information on groundwater levels and well constructions for estimating impacts of droughts on long term groundwater pumping capacity and operation. This analysis can be extended for the entire Central Valley in an effort to quantify the impacts of drought and the importance of groundwater management.

The futures market for water rights trading in California: Analyzing the emergence of a controversial experiment

Environmental Challenges (Elsevier) | March 29th, 2025

This paper presents a qualitative case study of the world's first water futures contract in California, a market that enables hedgers and speculators to bet on water pric

This paper presents a qualitative case study of the world's first water futures contract in California, a market that enables hedgers and speculators to bet on water prices. It is attempted to explain which factors shaped the emergence of the unique market by applying the Political Process Inherent Dynamics Approach (PIDA), an analytical framework from the field of environmental policy analysis. In addition, the topics of heated debate that have surrounded the new market are summarized and contextualized. To obtain the relevant information, expert interviews, complemented by online sources, were subjected to a Qualitative Content Analysis. It is concluded that the launch of the contract is an extreme case of private business actors shaping water governance, made possible by a longstanding market philosophy in the US, that gives leeway for actors of financialization to create facts. In the political-administrative realm, a lack of accountability and will to interfere seems to prevail. However, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and other actors have led efforts to abolish the market, criticizing water futures in ways that resonate with broader debates about privatization and food futures.