An aerial view of agricultural fields covered with water in Butte County. Credit: DWR

March 14, 2023 - The California Farm Bureau has praised Gov. Gavin Newsom for signing an executive order to use floodwaters from recent storms to recharge and store groundwater.

“Our groundwater basins are critical for supplying drinking water for our communities as well as helping our farmers produce the food supply for Californians,” said California Farm Bureau President Jamie Johansson. “We applaud Gov. Newsom’s courageous decision to divert floodwaters from this year’s storms to replenish our depleted groundwater basins. This can help protect life and property during our continuing storms. It is an important step for helping bring our aquifers into balance and sustaining them for future generations. We strongly support efforts to enhance California’s long-term water supplies during wet years, including recharging our groundwater and capturing and storing surface water for our reservoirs.”

The California Farm Bureau works to protect family farms and ranches on behalf of nearly 29,000 members statewide and as part of a nationwide network of 5.3 million Farm Bureau members.
Source: California Farm Bureau