Groundwater—the water stored underneath the Earth’s surface between the cracks and spaces in soil, sand, and bedrock—is essential for the California residents and farmers who rely on it for up to 46 percent of their annual water use. Yet during the 2012-2017 drought, the state’s surface water supply was not sufficient to meet demand, resulting in excess groundwater pumping that caused land subsidence of up to 13 inches in some parts of the San Joaquin Valley. 

“On-farm banking has the promise of making the most productive use of the greatest amount of land possible while increasing the reliability and resiliency of California’s groundwater supply,” says EESA scientist Peter Nico, a soil and environmental biogeochemist.

“Due to the five-year drought, most places in California were overdrafting their groundwater,” said Nico, who heads EESA’s Resilient Energy, Water and Infrastructure program, and leads the Area’s collaboration with  the Almond Board and UC Davis. “But by using a strategy like on-farm banking, you can potentially decrease the amount of overdrafting by replenishing groundwater more during wet periods.”

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