Inside the Growing Crisis of California’s Dry Wells

In 2021, 973 residential wells came up dry throughout California — versus 85 the year before. Most are in agriculture-dominated San Joaquin Valley where residents and farms are in fierce competition for the state’s water supply. We spoke to residents in Madera County.

#Drought #Agriculture #Explained

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[OWK]

Swales and water catching pond holes to recapture precipitation to ground water. Ancient science of is a practice in India and parts of the central valley already. Maybe cisterns, too. Need to catch more water before it dissapears to the ocean. I also like that they are putting floating solar panels on irrigation canals to slow down evaporation and grab some e-value at the same time.

[mack-uvgn]

Maybe need to farm in other areas where water isn’t in low supply. Just a thought.

[fernog]

Never thought semi-desert was a good place to farming golf clubs nice grasses etc

[mikewatt]

Bottled water is now more expensive than petrol

[thesilentone]

Farms are using water intensive crops in a fog desert in parts fog forests.
Like california has mangroves with edible fruits but no cut em down put farm land on top like why.
Yes they did that and still do sometimes.

[nokiot]

Also- you can take a shower with 3 gallons of water. I’ve done it tons of times in Mexico when they shut the water off.

[joeblack]

As far as I'm concerned this all just drives in the meaning of the word "unsustainable". They will find a sustainable middle ground, or that all will one day be gone. Sadly most people do not want to hear a single word about it while the going is good - For them personally.

[nokiot]

I heard once that there is more fresh water under the earths crust than all the salt water in all the oceans combined. We just need tech that can drill deep enough to reach it.

[swrtsolutionsinc.]

California growers, if you are under drastic water reductions due to drought and are ready to try something new, check out our subsurface water retention technology (SWRT). U shaped membranes installed at two depths below tillage depth are long lived and detain/retain up to 90% of applied water in the root zone. Gaps between membranes allow for deep percolation of excess water if needed. Dramatic increases in crop and biomass production have been documented by Scientists in 19 countries. This technology was developed at Michigan State University over the last 20 years for producers growing high value crops on sandy soils.

[manzalone]

Our military has systems to convert ocean are we not using them ?

[jerrychesan]

The future may be in the Singaporean model..

[drusha]

they are so efficient. milked the place dry. great job!

[flyingdutchsam]

You know what would help? Some dams up on the San Joaquin so all the water doesn’t go to the delta for the snelt

[flyingdutchsam]

No farmer pays their workers starvation wages, all wages even undocumented or illegal would still have to pay minimum wage or else the government would see discrepancies in revenue and profit and assume under the table pay which is illegal.