Researchers track groundwater loss during drought in California’s Central Valley

Researchers used two methods to track groundwater levels, traditional water balance estimates —which take into account surface water inflow like rainfall and snow melt, soil moisture capacity and evapotranspiration — and data from NASA’s twin satellite system called GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment).

“For this study, GRACE served as a unique tool that provided information on water volume changes directly from space, and corroborated the water balance estimates,” said Hyongki Lee, a co-author of the study and a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Houston.

Thank you for posting. The water “business” in California is pretty much corrupted at its core. Keep in mind that local water agencies are public but for profit. I will give you a snap shot of this RACKET. There is no other way to call it. Unfortunately the tax payers and business owners can’t do anything against the local monopolies. For example a city council member or per say a school district employee are allowed to work for the same local water agency. Thus collecting not one but two pensions. Just imagine who is paying for these same pensions. You are right, the tax payers are paying for it.
Another example that makes no sense. The cost of potable or recycled water can be as high as TEN TO 14 TIMES the amount from county to county or from…city to city. Again, the tax payers or business owners can’t do a damn thing about it. Furthermore (I posted it a while back or on the other site) the cost of water skyrocketed after the 2007/07 economic crash. The same pensions were affected so without any types of public approval they, the water agencies jacked up the price on everybody. Since Jerry Brown come back to sakahmento the delta and other central California farmers have been decimated. The Sierra club has driven the boat, no pun intended at the detriment of farms dating back 200 years ago. When you travel down the 99 highway today vs 20 years ago it is night and day. You basically have a growing desert where farms were striving in just a few years ago. Jerry Brown is persona non grata.
When you add that San Diego MWD has been suing the LA MWD for years it makes things even worse.

http://www.sdcwa.org/mwdrate-challenge

I will ad that this link if the “official” link. They, the MWD’s never explain how they come up with rates. Another example relevant to today. I was told that the rates won’t go down in San Diego County by the various water agencies even though the drought is officially over or has been officially over for about a year now. This is a RACKET but you never hear about it. I was in the turf industry for almost 13 years. Prior to joining the industry and dealing with public agencies I had no clue…like everybody else.

California is the most beautiful state in the Union but it is by bar the most corrupt. Hence why so many leave.

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