Peter Gleick

Massive accelerating groundwater overdraft in California’s Central Valley as drought worsens.
#water
#climate

Groundwater depletion in California’s Central Valley accelerates during megadrought | Nature Communications
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-35582-x#Fig4

Groundwater depletion in California’s Central Valley accelerates during megadrought - Nature Communications

Liu et al. used the NASA GRACE/FO missions to show that since 2019, groundwater depletion in California’s Central Valley has accelerated by 31% compared to recent droughts, and has increased by a nearly a factor of 5 compared to the 60-year average.

Nature
Dec 22, 2022 at 3:45pmWeb
Show threadJim BrobeckDec 22, 2022
@petergleick This includes the Northern Central Valley (N Sac Valley) where all-time low water levels are occurring. https://sgma.water.ca.gov/CalGWLive/#groundwater
California's Groundwater Live

A quick and easy way to view the current groundwater conditions in California. This site is designed to be easy for a layman to use and understand the current state of California's Groundwater.

Show threadJim BrobeckDec 22, 2022
@petergleick The western N Sac Valley is in the early stage of irreversible land subsidence due to aquifer overdraft.
Show threadOpubo G BeneboDec 24, 2022

@petergleick

Here then is the #challenge of #nature to man -- #movewater to replenish the dwindling #groundwater. Creatively use the #solarenergy to #reversetransfer of #seawater to the land.

Show threadCornelius TraasDec 24, 2022
@ogb @petergleick I don't believe this is possible at the scale required. A rough calculation would indicate an area equivalent to at least 1/4 the size of the aquifer would need to be covered in solar panels.
Show threadOpubo G BeneboDec 24, 2022

@theapplefarmer @petergleick

I am trying to #imagine your #design to #movewater from the #PacificOcean to and through #California, and the positioning of the #solarpanels

Show threadOpubo G BeneboDec 26, 2022

@theapplefarmer @petergleick

Some years back, I considered a design to #movewater from the #AtlanticOcean into #Africa passing the #waterpipe through #Nigeria into #Mali for the citizens as #drinkingwater. The issue that was confronting was not #feasibility but rather the cost and who would pay for it; of course, there are also some technological issues like #energystorage, #ambient #heatextraction in addition to use of #solarenergy. Quite interesting as the #solarenergy #electricpower design has been concluded, leaving the specialized #energystorage system as the last hurdle being still worked on.

Show threadGaryODec 24, 2022
@petergleick Important results. Between recharges, rate of depletion is much faster than the long term trend would predict. Is there any guidance about remaining agricultural supply? I.e. when will the groundwater become so low that agriculture in the Central Valley becomes impossible, given current trends?
Show threadHistoPol (#HP) 🏴 🇺🇸 🏴Dec 25, 2022

@petergleick

Horrific

How much longer until the #GreatCalifornianDesert and a #GreatCaliforniaExodus?