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Groundwater is water beneath the surface of the earth that fills the pore spaces and fractures of sediments and rocks. Groundwater is instrumental in meeting California's water needs. Often overlooked because it is not readily visible, groundwater has played a major role in California's rise as the largest food and agricultural economy in the nation and the fifth largest overall economy in the world.
As important as groundwater has been to California in the past, it will become even more critical in meeting future needs. Many of the strategies at play to meet the state's ever growing water demands are inextricably linked to groundwater. Conjunctive use programs, groundwater banking and many water transfers involve groundwater and the coordinated use of groundwater and surface water.
As groundwater takes an increasingly prominent role in future water planning, contaminants are posing challenges. Recently discovered contaminants such as MTBE and perchlorate are finding their way into aquifers in many parts of the state, and likely will require costly cleanup efforts that ultimately could drive up the price of water for consumers. New regulations for naturally occurring contaminants such as arsenic and radon may further complicate the picture and increase the costs of operating conjunctive use programs.
Local groundwater management plans such as the one being developed by the Sacramento Groundwater Authority are critical to protecting our local groundwater resources and are integral to California's overall water supply picture.
California Groundwater Facts
Many areas of the state rely exclusively on groundwater to satisfy demands, while other areas use groundwater to supplement their surface supplies or to meet needs when surface water is not available. California's groundwater use accounts for about 20% of all groundwater extracted throughout the entire United States. Here are some other facts about California's groundwater:
- Groundwater provides about 30% of the state's overall water supply in an average year and about 40% in dry years.
- 40% to 50% of Californians rely on groundwater for all or part of their water supply.
- California's 515 identified groundwater basins and subbasins are believed to hold hundreds of millions of acre-feet of water. By comparison, the state's 1,200 surface water reservoirs hold about 45 million acre-feet (MAF)
- About 14.5 MAF of groundwater is extracted and used statewide in average years for agricultural, municipal and industrial use.
- About 19 groundwater basins in the state are adjudicated, meaning they are managed and operated according to court settlements. These basins are primarily in southern California.
- Groundwater management is viewed as a local issue in California. Rights to much of the state's groundwater are not clearly defined, a fact which has led to disputes among competing water users in some areas.
Local Groundwater Resources
Over the past several decades, the Sacramento region has faced increasingly complex water realities. Although blessed by two abundant river systems - the Sacramento and American rivers, the region has suffered the effects of prolonged drought, experienced increasing pressure to dedicate more water to the environment, and confronted declining groundwater levels and growing threats to water quality. All the while, despite increased conservation efforts, demand for water has continued to grow.
This reality spurred representatives from a broad range of business, environmental, public and water purveyor interests to come together to resolve regional water supply issues and needs. The effort, known as the Sacramento Water Forum, led to formation of the Sacramento Groundwater Authority (SGA).
Today, SGA has developed a draft groundwater management plan and is implementing a regional conjunctive use program that will improve the reliability of the region's water supplies while protecting the environmental values of the lower American River.
For more on the American River Basin Conjunctive Use Program, click here
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