Photo: Xavier Mascareñas / California Department of Water Resources
This month, the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) released a report on groundwater recharge — the process of replenishing underground aquifers with surface water — in the San Joaquin Valley in 2023. The report offers a rare viewpoint, allowing us to see just how far we’ve come along the slow march to water balance in California. The numbers in the report validate how our state’s water managers, farmers, academics, community advocates, conservationists, scientists and legislators have moved the needle on recharge in the past six years.
Read “Replenishing Groundwater in the San Joaquin Valley: 2024 Update” here!
Quick Facts
Total recharge volume in 2023 increased 17% from 2017. PPIC estimates that 7.6 million acre-feet was recharged in 2023 — nearly double the capacity of Shasta Lake.
The volume of on-farm recharge has nearly doubled in the past six years, accounting for almost 10% of total recharge volumes reported in the Valley. At the same time, farmer concerns around crop yields decreased from 22% to 11%.
How recharge grew — and changed — from 2017 to 2023. Volume shown in millions of acre-feet.
How PPIC’s Findings Catalyze our Work
2023 was a banner year for recharge, but we can do more.
In 2023, 7.6 million acre-feet of water was recharged, with another 3.5 million acre-feet potentially available for recharge. There remains an enormous opportunity to capture and store additional water in wet years by preparing in dry times.
What’s Next in 2024
After 12+ years of recharge success, we will keep working to:
- Double down on key partnerships with and across agencies, industry associations, and others to scale on-farm recharge.
- Promote incentives and accounting systems as critical components to scaling recharge activities.
- Advance multi-benefit recharge by developing funding pools to incentivize recharge that also benefits community drinking water and ecosystems.
Watch PPIC’s panel that breaks down some of the biggest finding from the “Replenishing Groundwater in the San Joaquin Valley” report!