CORCORAN – In California’s San Joaquin Valley, the farming town of Corcoran has a multimillion-dollar problem. It is almost impossible to see, yet so vast it takes NASA scientists using satellite technology to fully grasp. Corcoran is sinking. Over the past 14 years, the town has sunk as much as...
Without Collaboration, SGMA Could Fallow 1 Million Farm Acres
If agriculture in the San Joaquin Valley is going to survive, water leaders need to get cozy with new ideas and new allies. And, yes, that means environmentalists. “Historically, water supplies have been developed in a vacuum,” said Eric Averett, general manager of Rosedale-Rio Bravo Water Storage District, at the...
What Is SGMA? Here Are the Basics.
By Lois Henry SJV.org The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act was passed in 2014 and enacted in 2015. It aims to stop groundwater overpumping in critically overdrafted basins by 2040 and bring them into “sustainability.” Sustainability is defined as avoiding undesirable results: 1. Chronic lowering of groundwater. 2. Reduction of groundwater storage....
Irrigation Water Prices Under SGMA Induce Sticker Shock
Reaction was hushed when Rosedale-Rio Bravo Water Storage District General Manager Eric Averett asked the small group of farmers Tuesday morning if any were interested in buying irrigation water at the previously unheard of price of $770 an acre-foot. No papers rustled. Keyboards went silent. And none of the growers...
Fresno State Offers Boot Camp on Water Issues for Journalists
Fresno State has a boot camp Friday for journalists looking to jump into the deep end of California's often complicated water issues. Organizers say the event will provide an "intense" look into the many facets of state water law and politics. The seminar featuring a broad array of water experts...
Farms, the Environment, and the Future of Water
In the middle of July, I was surprised to find myself trudging through a couple feet of snow while hiking south of Lake Tahoe. It was a striking contrast to the long walks I took on the dry lakebed of Folsom Reservoir near my home during the historic drought just...