Andrew G. Alkema: As groundwater pumping ramps up, ground starts to sink
All the discussion and debate about the terrible drought we are enduring seems to pay little attention to two elephants in the room. First elephant: the issue of subsidence. While the irrigation districts and the state are busy restricting access to surface water, little seems to be happening to restrict use of groundwater. So, in go all the new orchards, down go the wells, and down go the aquifers. As they go down, the land begins sinking. Once subsidence sets in, what are the chances of those affected aquifers ever recovering? None. Who will take responsibility for the untold damage to infrastructure, homes, buildings, canals and roads caused by subsidence? (The silence is almost deafening.)
Could the other elephant be greed?
Andrew G. Alkema, Hughson
This story was originally published May 6, 2015 at 1:32 PM with the headline "Andrew G. Alkema: As groundwater pumping ramps up, ground starts to sink."