Saturday, August 19, 2017

"The canal that helps bring food to tables across the world has a big problem — it's sinking"

VTD:
The sinking terrain . . . has already reduced the capacity of the key irrigation artery by 50 to 60 percent in some locations.

“It’s like a big dip, a bowl or depression in the land that has the effect of not allowing flows to the south,” Vink said. "The Bureau of Reclamation knows about it and estimates are it could be a $200 to $500 million problem.”

...

What is a farmer to do?

Go back to pumping groundwater, Vink said.

However, it was vigorous pumping that has been blamed for land subsidence in the first place — both here and on the westside of the Valley, impacting the critical California Aqueduct, as well.