State officials said that unusual heavy rain and snow last winter caused California's groundwater levels to increase for the first time in four years.
From Oct. 1, 2022, to Sept. 30, 2023, the 2023 Water Year resulted in 4.1 million acre-feet of managed groundwater replenishment and an overall rise in groundwater storage of 8.7 million acre-feet, as per the California Department of Water Resources. California Department of Water Resources.
Managed groundwater replenishment means purposefully restoring supplies by adding extra water to an aquifer. The 4.1 million acre-feet replenishment volume was equal to Shasta Lake's entire storage capacity, the biggest above-ground reservoir in California.
“California is invested in preparing for weather extremes by maximizing the wet years to store as much water as possible in preparation for the dry years,” said Paul Gosselin, deputy director of sustainable water management for the Department of Water Resources. a statement.
According to the report, 93 percent of the total replenishment amount, which is 3.8 million acre-feet, occurred in the agriculture-rich San Joaquin Valley. For comparison, the average American household uses about 1 acre-foot of water each year.
In Water Year 2023, the state extracted 9.5 million acre-feet of groundwater, a significant difference from the 17 million acre-feet withdrawn the previous water year, as noted in the report.
Gosselin attributed “the impressive recharge numbers in 2023” to the proactive efforts of local and state agencies, while also cautioning Californians against becoming complacent.
“We need to do more to be ready to collect and store water when the wet years come,” he added.
