Podcast: |
Thursday, January 16, 2014
USEPA.gov
Current drought conditions are definitely pushing water supply issues to the top of the agenda for both the public, and for those public agencies responsible for delivering water. This includes, of course, the City of Santa Cruz, which delivers water to the City of Santa Cruz, the entirety of Live Oak and Pasatiempo, and to parts of Capitola.
Most of the City’s water is “surface water,” coming from the San Lorenzo River and North Coast streams. The Soquel Creek Water District, which provides water throughout the mid‑county area, and to most of the City of Capitola, relies on groundwater supplies. Even when there isn’t any rain, groundwater is available; it’s like a savings account, but there is a problem. If long-term extraction of groundwater exceeds the average annual inflow into the groundwater basin, an “overdraft” occurs, and in our area, seawater can then flow into the groundwater basin when the level of freshwater in the basin gets below sea level. This kind of “salt water intrusion” can contaminate freshwater supplies, and that is exactly what is already happening in the Pajaro Valley, and what may soon happen with respect to the aquifers relied upon by Soquel Creek.
Citizen activists working on water issues have recently begun asking questions about private wells in the mid-county area because they may be a significant contributor to the overdraft problem. The issues are complex, and serious, and I’ll try to keep you posted!
More Information:
Former Santa Cruz County Supervisor Gary Patton talks about land use, and land use decisions, with an emphasis on public participation and how the land use process works.