For Immediate Release
Contact: Elizabeth Jonasson
(559) 241-6233
Westlands Water District Clears Key Milestone Toward Groundwater Recharge Goal
Fresno, California – Westlands Water District (District) has surpassed the halfway point towards it recharge goals recharging 127,000 acre feet (af) of groundwater since March 2023. This achievement pushes the District past the midway mark in reaching the ambitious goal of recharging 200,000 af of groundwater by the end of February 2024.
“This tremendous progress reflects the District’s earnest commitment to building a sustainable water future for the District’s family farms,” said Jeff Fortune, Board President. “The District is committed to utilizing and making the most of the abundance of water we received this past winter to plan for future dry years. The District’s recharge projects will provide a lifeline to hundreds of family-owned farms during periods of prolonged drought.”
In addition to investing in District projects, since 2019 Westlands has been working with District landowners to establish and invest in on-farm recharge projects, with the goal of using abundant water supply (when available) to improve groundwater levels in the lower and upper aquifers. To date over 300 recharge projects have been processed.
With increased surface water supply this year, Westlands set a goal of recharging 200,000 af of groundwater back into the District’s aquifers by the end of this water year (February 29, 2024). Due to the strong enthusiasm and commitment from landowners to implement climate-resilient farming practices and build a sustainable water future, Westlands is well on its way to achieving this goal.
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About Westlands Water District
Westlands Water District is recognized as a world leader in agricultural water conservation and has served the farmers and rural communities on the west side of Fresno and Kings counties for more than five decades. As stewards of one of California’s most precious natural resources, Westlands continually invests in conservation and champions farmers deploying innovative irrigation methods based on the best available technology.