CA still talking about water reforms, scarcity and a bond tax to partially fix

San Jose Mercury News/Science and Environment/Paul Rogers, "California Drought:  After years of overpumping groundwater, state may be ready of reforms."  

Folsom Lake reservoir (25 miles NE Sacramento),
left: 7/20/11, right: 1/16/14

"For nearly 50 years, California has passed sweeping environmental laws that limit private property for the common good -- from the nation's toughest automobile pollution standards to curbs on clear-cutting forests to rules requiring that developers keep beaches open to the public.  However, when it comes to preserving one of the state's most critical and politically divisive resources -- billions of gallons of groundwater that are vital to farms and cities -- California lawmakers and voters have done almost nothing. 

....  Decades of intense pumping have dropped water tables dangerously low in places such as the San Joaquin Valley and Paso Robles. Scientific studies show that the ground is sinking in some places and that aquifers are at risk of running dry. 

"Some people have had the attitude that our groundwater will be here forever," said John Garner, who grows rice and walnuts on 600 acres in Glenn County, 80 miles north of Sacramento.  "But now they realize that 'Holy crow, we could have an impact here and to protect ourselves -- although not everybody is there yet -- they realize they probably really should start better management.'"  Read article, includes KSBW 8 (Salinas, CA) news video, 3:10 minutes.  

Note:  NASA Press release 2/25/14, and photograph from California Department of Water Resources (DWR). 

Posted by Kathy Meeh