Article by Lois Henry, CEO/Editor of SJV Water, a nonprofit, independent online news site covering water in the San Joaquin Valley. Reach her at lois.henry@sjvwater.org and visit/subscribe at www.sjvwater.org May 12, 2020 – In the world of groundwater recharge, not all dirt is created equal. Where, when, how much and how fast water can best…
We hope you and your loved ones are staying healthy and safe right now. We look forward to the day when we can meet again in person to discuss and collaborate on environmental solutions for our Golden State. In the meantime, Sustainable Conservation offered the first of our Check In & Connect webinars this week:…
This year we’ve been hard at work alongside the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) on building a coalition of researchers, industry groups, agencies and non-profit organizations. The goal? Replenish more groundwater across California for dry times ahead. The strategy? Work together to identify the key questions, information gaps, incentives, policies and opportunities needed so…
California’s water is, in a word, complicated. We’re here to try and make it easier to understand. We sat down with our Policy Director, Stacey Sullivan, to dig into the term “beneficial use,” as it’s of particular importance in regard to groundwater recharge now that the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act is in place. Watch our…
In case you haven’t been following along with our previous policy breakdowns, California advocates and legislators have been hard at work on a drinking water solution for the over 1 million Californians who don’t have reliable access to clean water in their communities. This includes communities with wells that went dry during our last drought…
With a record-setting snowpack this year on the heels of a near-legendary drought, California needs more ways to manage its water so we can store water when we get it, for dry times ahead. The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) is convening the state’s leading experts on water, from agencies and researchers to NGOs…
We recently had a chance to sit down with Mark McKean, a Fresno-area grower and leader in the agriculture industry to talk about his experience with water management and farming. To learn a bit more about Mark, check out our recent blog detailing his groundwater recharge work and background. Based on your expertise with water…
We work very hard to secure a bright water future for California, but we never do it alone. Our partners keep us innovating, researching and striving for a sustainable, clean and healthy water supply for all. This month, we’re highlighting San Joaquin Valley farmer Mark McKean, whose water stewardship stems from his deep agriculture roots…
California’s had a very wet winter, but more water on the surface doesn’t necessarily mean more water under our feet. Groundwater is a key resource for farms, communities and the environment, especially in times of drought. Many groundwater basins across the state are critically over-drafted, and replenishing our underground savings accounts in wet years to…
Sustainable Conservation Project Director Joe Choperena (left) and Madera Co. farmer Brian Davis in front of a vineyard intentionally flooded to refill depleted groundwater supplies. No matter where you live in California, chances are you’ve experienced firsthand the near-record rain and snowfall the state received these first months of 2019. And, forecasters aren’t telling…
There’s no denying the challenges facing California’s new governor. Punctuating Gavin Newsom’s January swearing-in was a chorus of critical issues calling for immediate action. Issues like affordable housing, immigration, healthcare, wildfires, climate change, education. He’ll need to juggle these skillfully while keeping the world’s fifth largest economy humming in the face of a slump experts…
A Path Forward, Together Farmers, trade groups, state agencies, academics and Sustainable Conservation staff filled the sold-out, inaugural California Dairy Sustainability Summit in Sacramento last week to showcase how the Golden State’s dairy industry is moving the needle on sustainability. Critical issues like conserving water, protecting air quality and water, boosting renewable energy and reducing…