The effects of the historic draught that has plagued California for the past four years have been widespread and dramatic. California’s agricultural industry has suffered considerably. As the leading producer of fruits and vegetable is the United States, California is home to approximately 80,000 farms and ranches, and its agricultural products accounted for $46.4 billion in revenues in 2013.
Much of the state’s farming resides in relatively arid areas that depend on irrigation rather than on rainwater to subsist. Until recently, citrus farmers in the San Joaquin Valley have relied upon water supplies from a massive federal project that distributes water from the San Joaquin-Sacramento River Delta to farms and communities in the surrounding area.
But since water distribution from the delta has dissipated, citrus farmers have been forced to take extensive measures, including removing about 20,000 acres of trees, resulting in massive loss of investment that will not be recouped for years. To compensate for the lack of water resources, many citrus farmers have been constructing their own private reservoirs. Some farmers have used these reservoirs to store water pumped from wells and divert it to citrus groves that are in desperate need of water.
Reservoirs are typically built by damming streams. These reservoirs, however, resemble large ponds and are supported by underground pumps. The construction of these reservoirs has resulted in additional concerns, as the increased use of wells to pump out water has intensified recession of the water table, and in some areas, has caused the ground to sink. Meanwhile, farmers have spent millions of dollars to implement these measures, which have provided only minimal relief.
Despite growing fears about the shortage of groundwater, citrus and grape growers claim that they are left with little choice but to irrigate the land. Unlike other farmers who can fallow their land when water resources are scant, if trees do not receive an adequate water supply, they will not survive. Even so, it is uncertain how long citrus and grape growers can continue to generate their produce using these measures.
Contact Shane Coons at 949-333-0900 or visit his website at www.ShaneCoonsLaw.com to find out more about the practice.