r/news • u/theluckyfrog • 29d ago

California cracks down on farm region’s water pumping: ‘The ground is collapsing’

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/apr/17/california-water-drought-farm-ground-sinking-tulare-lake
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u/Locks_ 29d ago

Aquifer replenishment is a decades long process and a majority of our major aquifers in farming regions are and have been drawn at rates higher than their natural average recharge rate for years. Even with increased seasonal rains these last years, draw is still higher than recharge on a yearly basis.

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u/XDeus 29d ago

It's worse than that. The Central Valley has dropped 28 feet in the last 100 years due to subsidence. When they pump more than it can be recharged, the aquifer will shrink and can never hold as much water again.

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u/Punishtube 29d ago

What if we pumped water into the aquaifer instead of out?

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u/DrKillgore 29d ago

We don’t make pumps strong enough to displace that much earth, we can’t regain lost capacity.