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Orange County Register
SACRAMENTO—Up until the 1970s, California was a state known for its commitment to boundless opportunities, with the Edmund G. “Pat” Brown governorship reflective of the can-do spirit that drew people here from across the world. Given the degree to which modern California is noted for its ineffectiveness, wastefulness and regulatory sclerosis, it’s difficult to imagine a California that took its Golden State moniker seriously.
Brown “envisioned a future in which economic growth would be driven by a network of state-of-the-art freeways to move people, reservoirs, and canals to capture and transport water and intellectual capital from low-cost institutions of higher education. He sold that vision to the public and, in doing so, as the late historian Kevin Starr wrote, putting California on ‘the cutting edge of the American experiment,’” per a Hoover Institution retrospective. The state grew dramatically as a result.
Democrats would have a stronger rebuke to Trumpism if our public services were the national model rather than a laughingstock—and if our leaders learned to value the private sector and not simply build bigger government. Abundance sounds like the right ticket—but only if state officials can return to Pat-Brown-style governance rather than use the term as a talking point. ...
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San Luis Obispo Tribune
No water in wine country: How SLO County residents survive when their wells go dry
Two scruffy dogs spilled onto the porch when Candy Nachel opened her front door. She stooped to pick up a fluffy Chihuahua named Poppy, then looked out across the property east of Templeton that she’s owned since 1996. Each year, she watches her neighbor’s vineyards grow heavy with wine grapes. Each year, pickers toil to harvest the bruise-purple fruit fattened with water from the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin. But Nachel can’t enjoy the view. In fact, these days, she can’t even enjoy a glass of wine. Because it reminds her that the vineyards have water — while she has none.
Stephanie Zappelli is the environment reporter for The Tribune. She grew up in San Diego, and graduated from Cal Poly with a journalism degree. When not writing, Stephanie enjoys reading and exploring the outdoors. ...
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scienmag.com
In California’s Central Valley, groundwater depletion has reached a critical point, threatening the stability of communities, agricultural productivity, and delicate ecosystems in one of the most fertile and economically vital regions of the United States. This expansive valley, responsible for producing a substantial portion of the nation’s fruits, vegetables, and nuts, faces the relentless challenge of over-extracting its underground water reserves faster than natural processes can replenish them. However, recent advancements in geophysical imaging provide a promising pathway to address this escalating crisis by identifying where the valley’s land is most suited for recharging its aquifers.
The central dilemma in groundwater recharge strategies is the heterogeneous nature of subsurface sediments across the Central Valley. Beneath the surface lies a dynamic stratigraphy, ranging from porous sands and gravels—remnants of ancient streambeds capable of transmitting water rapidly—to dense clay layers that act as impermeable barriers to infiltration. These clay-rich strata not only prevent water from percolating downward but also cause excess water to linger on the surface, leading to evaporation losses and potential damage to crops sensitive to flooding.
Kang, S., Knight, R., et al. “Harnessing the Power of Geophysical Imaging to Recharge California’s Groundwater.” Earth and Space Science, vol. 17, Apr. 2025, DOI:10.1029/2024EA003958.
Knight, R., et al. Prior related work on Central Valley electrical conductivity interpretation. DOI:10.1111/gwat.12656.
Keywords: Groundwater recharge, Central Valley, California, Electromagnetic geophysical imaging, Aquifer sustainability, Subsurface sediments, Agricultural water management, Land subsidence, Hydrogeophysics, Fastpath application, Recharge mapping, Water resource resilience. ...
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