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Groundwater is a vital resource in California. It sustains our ecosystems, supports our agriculture, fuels our economy, quenches our thirst, and reduces the impacts of drought and our changing climate. Groundwater accounts for 40 percent of the State's total annual water supply in normal years and almost 60 percent in drought years.
- About
California’s Groundwater Live has been developed for a...
- Reservoir Conditions
We would like to show you a description here but the site...
- Groundwater
Groundwater. Groundwater is an important source of water...
- California's Groundwater (Bulletin 118)
California’s Groundwater features current knowledge of...
- Statewide Groundwater Management
The Groundwater Exchange is a central, collaborative, and...
- Groundwater Basics
Groundwater is one of California’s greatest natural...
- About
Groundwater. Groundwater is an important source of water stored in the earth, deep beneath our feet, in what are called aquifers. Aquifers are the collective saturated spaces between many layers of sands, soils, and gravels (called alluvial aquifers), or the interconnected cracks in bedrock or volcanic deposits (called fractured rock aquifers).
California’s Groundwater features current knowledge of groundwater resources including information on the location, characteristics, use, management status, and conditions of the State’s groundwater. The publication also presents findings and recommendations that support the future management and protection of groundwater.
The Groundwater Exchange is a central, collaborative, and publicly accessible online resource center connecting water managers, water users, and community members with tools and resources to support the design and implementation of effective Groundwater Sustainability Plans under California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.
- What Is Groundwater?
- How Do We Get Groundwater?
- What's in Groundwater?
- Why Protect Groundwater?
- Want to Learn More?
Groundwater is any water found beneath the Earth’s surface. Despite being difficult to visualize, groundwater makes up a significant portion of the Earth’s water. When rain falls to the ground, the water does not stop moving. Some of it flows along the surface in streams, rivers, and lakes; some of it is used by plants; some evaporates and returns ...
Water in aquifers may be brought to the surface naturally through a spring, or can be discharged into lakes and streams. However, most groundwater is brought to the surface by pumping it through a well (which draws the water like soda through a straw) that is drilled into the aquifer. Wells come in different shapes and sizes, depending on the type ...
While surface water quality varies due to erosion, runoff, pollution, plant matter, animal waste, and other possible contaminants, groundwater quality is generally more stable. That is because an aquifer’s pore spaces act like a coffee filter, trapping sediment and other particles (e.g., the “coffee grounds”, such as bacteria), naturally purifying ...
Groundwater is one of California’s greatest natural resources, making up a significant portion of the state’s water supply, and serving as a buffer against the impacts of drought and climate change. During a typical year, groundwater makes up approximately 40 percent of California’s total water supply, and makes up to 60 percent (or more) during dr...
Learn more about the hydrologic cycle, groundwater uses, and threats to groundwater (such as pollutants and overuse) from the following resources: 1. The Department of Water Resources (DWR) 2. United State Geological Survey (USGS) 3. Groundwater Resources Association
SGMA is the first legislative act that California passed in order to achieve sustainable groundwater management (see the legislation with updates, effective January 1, 2019, for details). On May 16, 2016, the State Water Resources Control Board adopted a resolution to adopt an emergency regulation to implement SGMA.
People also ask
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Seasonal Groundwater Level Changes (1, 3, 5, 10-Years) The interactive dashboard below contains information about how groundwater levels have changed over time in California. Well measurements are separated into spring (January - May) and fall (June-November) seasons for this analysis. Each well is assigned one measurement per season.
