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State Rejects Groundwater Plan for Modesto Subbasin

The late Vance Kennedy was appalled when he learned tens of thousands of groundwater-dependent acres had been planted with almond orchards in the foothills on Stanislaus County’s east side. “That groundwater is our savings bank,” said Kennedy, then a resident of the City of Modesto. “That’s our reserve in case of an extended drought.” Kennedy, […]

Are Valley Foothills the Water Bank of the Future?

Among several pieces of encouraging news Peter Drekmeier brought the Stanislaus County Water Advisory Committee during his October 26 visit to Modesto was the scientific consensus that it’s still going to rain in the northern San Joaquin  Valley. In fact, said Drekmeier, according to the best science we have, it’s probably going to rain just […]

Contamination of Valley Groundwater a Hidden Threat

The City of Modesto has a large plume of toxic chemicals below ground. As time goes by, the plume is spreading via groundwater migration. Multiple sources of contamination are making wells around the community unusable. Though serious, groundwater depletion is only one of our problems. Every year, more wells are taken out of service. In […]

Groundwater: Why Regulation Fails

Despite state-mandated regulation, vast stores of groundwater have disappeared from the Colorado River Basin and the Ogallala Aquifer. The water is gone for a simple reason: More has been taken out than has come in. The simple notion of overdrafting—taking more from an account than has been put in— is something people learn early on […]

Coming Soon to a Well Near You

Until last year, California was the only state without regulations for pumping groundwater. Many thought new rules would remedy problems brought about by overdrafting. They overlooked the fact that even in states with groundwater regulation, major aquifers have been depleted beyond recovery in any reasonable time frame. The great Ogallala Aquifer, which covers parts of […]

Almond Siege Threatens Valley Homeowners

Just outside the city of Oakdale, houses along Orange Blossom and Horseshoe Roads represent most everyone’s dream of country living come true. Nestled under canopies of cottonwoods and oaks and with close access to the Stanislaus River, many of the homes feature backyard pastures with grazing horses, frolicking dogs, and large country cats hunting mice […]

Critical Care for Groundwater?

“Sustainability is the 21st century IQ test,” said Brad Barker, “and you can’t keep postponing your way to sustainability.” Barker, Conservation Chair for Yokuts Sierra Club, was speaking at last Tuesday’s meeting of the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors. The agenda item concerned approval of a newly-revised groundwater ordinance. Barker was one among many who […]

Can the State Reverse Downward Trend of Groundwater Supplies?

“Why not do a mass balance?” said Vance Kennedy. “It’s unsustainable on the face of it.” Kennedy was speaking during a question and answer session with Doreen, “DeDe,” D’Adamo, a member of California’s State Water Resources Control Board. D’Adamo was in Oakdale last Wednesday to meet with members of the Stanislaus Water Coalition, a group […]

Dr. Kennedy’s Groundwater Remedy

Stanislaus County Supervisors probably breathed a sigh of relief when the Modesto Bee chose not to report Dr. Vance Kennedy’s comments at their October 21 board meeting. As an award-winning hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, Kennedy accumulated a career’s worth of on-the ground experience to go along with his academic credentials. At ninety-one years […]

Groundwater: When Regulation Fails, Part I

Especially since the drought extended through last year’s dry winter, you couldn’t write “groundwater” and “California” without adding, “the only state that doesn’t regulate.” The assumption was that California’s groundwater problems must be due to lack of regulation. That assumption, however, fails against the realities of groundwater regulation in many states where groundwater woes are […]