My colleagues and I recently visited the Arroyo Pasajero Creek and talked with Woolf and later Huron Mayor Rey Le\u00f3n about the project and current drought. In addition to conserving water, here are three additional benefits of this land repurposing project \u2014 and one envisioned for the future \u2014 that they highlighted.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n The project recharges groundwater and manages flood waters.<\/strong><\/p>\n Collectively, their land is among the few areas in the Westlands Water District (the largest water district in the nation) where the soils allow for groundwater recharge \u2014 one of many strategies that regions across California are considering to comply with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act<\/a> and respond to climate change. The landowners paid for a helicopter airborne electromagnetic study<\/a> of the aquifer that found they had over 1 million acre-feet of available underground water storage.<\/p>\n Figuring out how to tap into that storage took time, money and persistence. The group applied for a water right from the state to access up to 13,000 acre-feet of water from the creek during peak flow events. They also obtained a license agreement with the Bureau of Reclamation, which owns the land along the creek, to gain access to three areas to divert the creek water.<\/p>\n The first goal of the project, says Woolf, is sustainability for these 36,000 acres of irrigated land. Second, she says, is to support the recharge necessary to support a new groundwater well for the city of Huron while also developing habitat and open space opportunities to enhance the community.<\/p>\n The recharge project provides a backup water supply to Huron residents.<\/strong><\/p>\n The landowners have agreed to give Huron access to 500 acre-feet of groundwater credits for future use after the city completes the new well, which will be used as a backup drinking water supply when Huron\u2019s surface water is limited.<\/p>\n Securing a backup water supply for human and ecosystems\u2019 needs is particularly important during drought, when surface water from the federal water delivery system is reduced. This year, Huron\u2019s allocation was reduced to 25% of its usual supply, according to Le\u00f3n.<\/p>\n As Huron builds a new well, groundwater recharge should also be part of the city\u2019s mission, Le\u00f3n says. \u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s smart or fair for us to just take water from the well without doing everything in our power to replace it.\u201d<\/p>\n In addition to grappling with such major water cuts, Huron also has taken a big economic hit from the drought. Lettuce season used to bring 8,000 migrant workers to Huron, filling restaurants and keeping gas stations busy. Last year, there were 200 workers, and they stayed an hour away, Le\u00f3n says.<\/p>\n But the city is doing its part to become more resilient and adapt to climate change, Le\u00f3n notes. Huron was among the first cities in California to require gray water plumbing in all new housing. Le\u00f3n also has grabbed headlines<\/a> for starting an electric car rural ridesharing service called the Green Raiteros through the Leap Institute, a nonprofit he founded and leads.<\/p>\n The next step: a park along the creek?<\/strong><\/p>\n Le\u00f3n\u2019s even bigger vision is to turn 3,000 acres along the creek into a community park. Huron is 98.7% Latino \u2014 \u201cthe most Latino city in the U.S.” \u2014 and 51% park deficient, according to Leon. A park would address that gap and help fulfil the 30×30 goal<\/a> set by the state of California to conserve 30% of all lands and coastal waters by 2030, he says.<\/p>\n Le\u00f3n won a National Park Service grant and met with the Bureau of Reclamation to determine if creating a park is possible. Though initially receptive, bureau staff concluded the land can\u2019t be turned into public space because of a former asbestos mine near the creek in the mountains.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/growingreturns\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/52\/files\/2022\/04\/group1000px.jpg\")
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