• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Valley Citizen

Nature, Environment, History & Politics

The Valley Citizen

  • Arts
  • Education
  • Environment
  • History
  • Nature
  • Politics
  • Wit
  • About
  • RSS Icon

More California Water Bills Coming Due Soon

June 17, 2013 By Eric Caine Leave a Comment

 

New Orchard, Eastern Stanislaus County
New Orchard, Eastern Stanislaus County

Maybe the rumors were true. Maybe the Stanislaus aquifer really is flowing uphill.

That’s one explanation for what’s going on near Hughson and Denair, where people’s wells have suddenly started running dry. Both towns are considerably downslope from the thousands of acres of new orchards on Stanislaus County’s east side. That’s where powerful pumps have been spreading millions upon millions of gallons of groundwater on what was once arid grazing land.

A recent Modesto Bee story highlighted the plight of the Bakker family of Denair, whose well ran dry June 2. They are one of dozens of families now facing the prospect of drilling deeper at a considerable and unanticipated expense.

A major reason for their dire situation is California groundwater law (or absence thereof). In a supposedly over-regulated state, California authorities have failed time and again to impose any regulation or even oversight on groundwater use. The latest review of the state’s groundwater status from the Department of Water Resources dates back to 2003.

In essence, the state has ceded groundwater regulation to counties and water districts. The underlying principle is simple: according to California law, in most areas of the state, overlying land owners may extract percolating groundwater and put it to beneficial use without approval from the State Board or a court.

Needless to say, this particular law invites abuse. For one thing, what’s to be done when the “overlying land owner” begins draining his neighbor’s well water? The law is silent.

In the absence of regulation, it’s no wonder that aquifers are running dry all over the state. Thirty percent of water deliveries in California are in the form of groundwater, and that’s in average rainfall years. In drought years the percentage is much higher.

In the San Joaquin Valley, entire cities rely on groundwater as their sole water source. One of those cities is Fresno, the fifth largest city in the state. Nevertheless, it’s still easy for anyone with the pumping power to tap the aquifer without limit. Thus, when your well goes out because your neighbor has drained the water from under you, you have no legal recourse.

The effects of over drafting aren’t limited to water shortages. A large area of the San Joaquin Valley has literally sunk due to subsidence. Subsidence occurs when over drafting takes away ground support. The area from Los Banos to Kettleman City—some 1500 square miles—features the largest area of subsidence in the world. Subsidence often leads to compaction, a compression of the earth so dense that surface water tends to “perch” and evaporate rather than percolate into the aquifer.

The ultimate effect of over drafting is desertification. Before that happens, those unfortunate enough to have their wells and water systems run dry must bear the expense of drilling deeper or importing water from elsewhere. And when subsidence and compaction cause damage to infrastructure and formerly fertile land, the public bears the expense.

In Denair, the Bakker family is trying to figure out how to pay for a deeper well. Sooner rather than later, many more of us will be facing our own unanticipated expenses. Under current California law, we all pay the bill when the public water table becomes a private watering trough.

 

 

Filed Under: Environment, Featured Tagged With: California groundwater law, Stanislaus County aquifer, Stanislaus County groundwater

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Note: Some comments may be held for moderation.

Primary Sidebar

Off The Wire

Trump forces seek primary revenge on GOP impeachment backers
Trump forces seek primary revenge on GOP impeachment backers
Candidates, donors and local party officials are already organizing against the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump.
www.politico.com
McCarthy Falsely Denies Voting To Overturn Election Results
McCarthy Falsely Denies Voting To Overturn Election Results
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) on Thursday denied that he, in fact, voted to overturn the election results as…
talkingpointsmemo.com
Audubon Files Lawsuit to Protect Migratory Bird Treaty Act
Audubon Files Lawsuit to Protect Migratory Bird Treaty Act
A coalition of conservation groups is going to court to overturn Trump Administration’s weakening of the landmark bird protection law.
www.audubon.org
Californians scramble for shots amid slow vaccine rollout | CalMatters
Californians scramble for shots amid slow vaccine rollout | CalMatters
Gov. Newsom said the feds failed to deliver promised vaccine supplies, but he expects Californians with their first shots to be able to secure their second.
calmatters.org
David Brooks column: Trump ignites a war within the church
David Brooks column: Trump ignites a war within the church
“Over the last 72 hours, I have received multiple death threats and thousands upon thousands of emails from Christians saying the nastiest and most vulgar things I have ever heard toward my family and ministry. I have been labeled a coward, sellout, a traitor to the Holy Spirit, and cussed out at least 500 times.”
www.courant.com
Here are the companies suspending political contributions following the Capitol riots
Here are the companies suspending political contributions following the Capitol riots
thehill.com
How the Capitol Riot Thrust Big American Companies Deeper Into Politics
How the Capitol Riot Thrust Big American Companies Deeper Into Politics
“Words alone are not enough.” Corporate moves to halt political funding and decry the forces behind the Jan. 6 riot have accelerated a broader movement in business to address social and political issues.
www.wsj.com
I've hesitated to call Donald Trump a fascist. Until now | Opinion
I’ve hesitated to call Donald Trump a fascist. Until now | Opinion
After last week the label seems not just acceptable, but necessary.
www.newsweek.com
The Cheney-McCarthy rift busts open
The Cheney-McCarthy rift busts open
The Republican leaders’ split on impeachment presages a bigger battle over Trump and the GOP.
www.politico.com
Beaten, sprayed with mace and hit with stun guns: police describe injuries to dozens of officers during assault on U.S. Capitol
Beaten, sprayed with mace and hit with stun guns: police describe injuries to dozens of officers during assault on U.S. Capitol
Authorities say many officers face long recovery following riot
www.washingtonpost.com
Trump Authoritarianism Denial Is Over Now
Trump Authoritarianism Denial Is Over Now
Just weeks, ago, conservatives insisted Trump would concede if he lost the election.
nymag.com
Fact check: Men who stormed Capitol identified by Reuters are not undercover Antifa as posts claim
Fact check: Men who stormed Capitol identified by Reuters are not undercover Antifa as posts claim
Social media users have been sharing content online that suggests those who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 were Antifa, not Trump supporters. Many have been using compilations of pictures as purported evidence, but examination of these images shows they do not support…
www.reuters.com
Who Funded the Putsch of January 6, 2021?
Who Funded the Putsch of January 6, 2021?
We must investigate the riots and find out who was behind it, who organized and financed it.
billmoyers.com

Find us on Facebook

The Valley Citizen
PO Box 156
Downtown Bear Postal
1509 K Street
Modesto, CA 95354

Email us at:
thevalleycitizen@sbcglobal.net

Footer

The Valley Citizen
PO Box 156
Downtown Bear Postal
1509 K Street
Modesto, CA 95354

Email us at:
thevalleycitizen@sbcglobal.net

Subscribe for Free

* indicates required

Search

• Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2021 The Valley Citizen

Dedicated to the memory of John Michael Flint. Contact us at thevalleycitizen@sbcglobal.net

Editor and publisher: Eric Caine

Website customization and maintenance by Susan Henley Design