05/07/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/07/2024 13:33
WHAT TO KNOW: For the first time since 2019, California's groundwater storage has increased - a direct result of state and local actions to capture and store more water underground during last year's historic wet season.
SACRAMENTO - California achieved 4.1 million acre-feet of managed groundwater recharge in 2023, with an overall increase in groundwater storage of 8.7 million acre-feet - equivalent to 26.1 million households' usage over an entire year.
Governor Gavin Newsom and the state took action to help local communities during last year's wet season, expanding groundwater recharge by 1.6 million acre-feet:
However, there is still a lot of work to do, as long-term groundwater storage remains in a deficit of nearly 40 million acre-feet over the past two decades.
2023 Groundwater Conditions Report
Recharging groundwater is key to California's strategy for expanding water supplies and defending against hotter and drier conditions. Last month, Governor Newsom highlighted the state's plans to protect water supplies for all Californians.
California's other actions to boost future water supplies include:
Streamlining projects and limiting litigation delays to spur new and improved water infrastructure.
More is needed to expand California's water supplies. During this year's storms alone, the Delta Conveyance Project could've captured enough water to supply 9.6 million people; the streamlined Sites Reservoir Project could hold enough water for 32 million households' yearly usage.
###