On the Water Front

Nearly $40 million available to help California water managers, growers, and communities achieve groundwater sustainability through the Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program

By Anna Schiller / Bio / Published: February 2, 2023

Yesterday, California’s Department of Conservation opened a second application round for the state’s timely and in-demand Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program (MLRP).

Now through March 29th, Groundwater Sustainability Agencies and their local non-profit and public agency partners can apply for nearly $9 million block grants to plan for and implement projects that reduce regional groundwater demand and beneficially repurpose formerly irrigated farmland. Block grantees can use MLRP funding in part to provide payments to growers for voluntarily repurposing land to new uses that require less water and create benefits, such as habitat, community parks, restored floodplains, multibenefit recharge areas, dryland crops, managed rangeland, or low-impact solar. Direct funding is also available for federally recognized and non-federally recognized California Native American tribes that are working to reestablish tribal land uses, enact tribal cultural practices, acquire land or easements, and conduct other land repurposing projects.

Also posted in California, Community, Drought, Groundwater, Land Repurposing / Tagged california drought, california land repurposing, california water, SGMA | Authors: aschiller / Leave a comment

Texas is growing. The way we manage groundwater needs to keep up.

By Vanessa Puig-Williams / Bio / Published: January 10, 2023

“Protect our groundwater rights and Texas aquifers.”

That was the rallying cry for a group of landowners at a key Texas Senate committee meeting last November on the potential danger of a massive Central Texas groundwater export project.

The landowners depend on groundwater from the Carrizo Wilcox Aquifer, which encompasses the Carrizo and underlying Simsboro aquifers. The Vista Ridge Pipeline project pumps 16 billion gallons per year out of the aquifer in rural Burleson County and sends it 142 miles southwest to San Antonio. Read More »

Also posted in Drought, Groundwater / Tagged agriculture, groundwater, texas, texas groundwater, texasdrought, texlege | Authors: vpuigwilliams / Leave a comment

New report analyzes voluntary agreements as tool for managing Oregon’s groundwater

By Rachel O'Connor / Bio / Published: September 22, 2022

Big Indian Gorge in Steens Mountain, the southern border of Harney Basin

In southeastern Oregon’s Harney Basin, you’ll find nationally significant wetlands, scenic farms and ranches, a strong sense of community, and one of the most severe groundwater overdraft issues in the state.

Recent media series, such as Race to the Bottom and Draining Oregon, have highlighted water challenges that have affected communities and ecosystems in the Harney Basin and across Oregon. As the situation becomes particularly dire in the Harney Basin, EDF and Culp & Kelly, LLC have released a new Voluntary Agreements Analysis report to advance the community’s understanding of one potential approach for locally driven water management. Read More »

Also posted in California, Colorado River, Community, Drought, Groundwater / Tagged agriculture, colorado river, drought, oregon, SGMA, water use | Authors: racheloconnor / Leave a comment

Taking a big leap to solve California water problems: How uncommon partners are finding common ground on the water

By Ann Hayden / Bio / Published: July 21, 2022

Jump into Tuolomne River

This blog is co-authored by Joshua Viers, Professor and Program Director, Secure Water Future, University of California, Merced

There we were, 19 of us on the stony shore of the Tuolumne River, feeling a bit stranded like the crew of Gilligan’s Island.

Our “Finding Common Water” rafting excursion was planned around “no water Wednesday,” when river releases are held back for water conservation and infrastructure maintenance. The trip’s goal: Get off our desk chairs and onto rafts, out of the ordinary and into an extraordinary setting — a hot, highly regulated, wild and scenic river — to push us out of our comfort zone and get to work on addressing real water problems.

Working with All-Outdoors whitewater expeditions, EDF and UC Merced teamed up to create the trip. Our premise was that paddling a raft together — and yanking each other back into the boats by our life vests — can build camaraderie and help find areas of agreement in ways that Zoom meetings just can’t.

Also posted in California, Community, Drought, Groundwater, Land Repurposing / Tagged agriculture, california drought, california land repurposing, california water, california water funding, land repurposing, SGMA, water conservation | Authors: ahayden / Leave a comment

A conservation win and groundwater loss: Arizona ends 2022 session with mixed water record

By Christopher Kuzdas / Bio / Published: July 21, 2022

The Verde River, one of the last free-flowing rivers in the Southwest, remains unprotected after another year of in action to address rural groundwater pumping in Arizona.

After months of negotiations, the Arizona Legislature passed a major water spending plan last month with funding for new conservation efforts to address deteriorating water supplies. However, for the fourth year in a row, state leaders failed to pass legislation to address unlimited groundwater pumping, missing an opportunity to enable a water secure future for 1.5 million rural residents and the state as a whole.

Also posted in Arizona, Colorado River, Community, Drought, Groundwater / Tagged agriculture, Arizona, colorado river, drought, farmers, groundwater, water use | Authors: ckuzdas / Leave a comment

Texas is drying up. We better protect our groundwater.

By Vanessa Puig-Williams / Bio / Published: July 20, 2022

It is obvious to any Texan that we are in a horrific drought. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, more than 80% of Texas has been facing drought conditions most of the year. Extreme or worse drought now covers 51% of the state.

The drought is hurting water supplies, particularly in Central Texas, which has received as little as 5 inches of rain since October in some areas, well below average. Coleman County had its driest January-to-June period on record going back to 1895.

Groundwater functions as a buffer to streams and rivers during periods of low rainfall, sustaining vital baseflow and spring flow. But increased groundwater pumping coupled with a prolonged decrease in aquifer recharge from little rainfall causes the connection between rivers and groundwater to be lost and rivers and springs to dry up.

Although it will rain again, the reality is that Texas is becoming more arid. In the future, we will see less rain and more days of triple-digit temperatures. As Texas weather changes, so must our methods of managing groundwater, which will become increasingly precious.

Also posted in Community, Drought, Groundwater, Uncategorized / Tagged drought, water conservation | Authors: vpuigwilliams / Leave a comment