Difference between revisions of "Water Supply Projects in California's Central Coast Region"

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A [[Watershed Issues|watershed-related issue]] examined by the [[ENVS 560/L Watershed Systems]] class at [http://csumb.edu CSUMB].
 
A [[Watershed Issues|watershed-related issue]] examined by the [[ENVS 560/L Watershed Systems]] class at [http://csumb.edu CSUMB].
[[Image:SalinasRiver.JPG|300px|thumb|right|The Salinas River, as visible from San Ardo in southern Monterey County.]] <ref name="Wikimedia Commons"> [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salinas_River_(California) Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory photo: Salinas River] </ref>
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[[Image:SalinasRiver.JPG|300px|thumb|right|The Salinas River, as visible from San Ardo in southern Monterey County.]] <ref name="Wikimedia Commons"> Salinas River. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salinas_River_(California) Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory photo: Salinas River] Updated May 2008. Retrieved April 5, 2020. </ref>
  
 
==Introduction==
 
==Introduction==
Monterey County does not receive any water allocations from state programs such as the State Water Project or Central Valley Project. <ref name= "State Water Project Facilities"> [https://water.ca.gov/About/Facilities California State Water Delivery Project]</ref> and primarily receives water from the [[Carmel Watershed|Carmel River alluvial aquifer]] and the [[Seaside Groundwater Basin]]. With a growing population and a booming agricultural industry nicknamed “The Salad Bowl of America,” the region has a high annual demand for water usage.  
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Monterey County does not receive any water allocations from state programs such as the State Water Project or Central Valley Project. <ref name= "State Water Project Facilities"> Department of Water Resources [https://water.ca.gov/About/Facilities California State Water Delivery Project] Updated 2020. Retrieved April 5, 2020. </ref> and primarily receives water from the [[Carmel Watershed|Carmel River alluvial aquifer]] and the [[Seaside Groundwater Basin]]. With a growing population and a booming agricultural industry nicknamed “The Salad Bowl of America,” the region has a high annual demand for water usage.  
  
 
These issues of water scarcity are attributed to more demand for water than supply, and there are currently water recycling programs in place such as the Castroville Seawater Intrusion Project (CSIP), Monterey One Water (M1W), and Pure Water Monterey (PWM). Although Monterey County has experienced continuing seawater intrusion since the 1940s, this was not the case before widespread civilization and industry. The groundwater table used to be high enough that there was a “freshwater bubble,” in the shallow coastal waters of Monterey Bay. Since then, technology for groundwater extraction has improved to meet the needs of residential and industrial interests.  
 
These issues of water scarcity are attributed to more demand for water than supply, and there are currently water recycling programs in place such as the Castroville Seawater Intrusion Project (CSIP), Monterey One Water (M1W), and Pure Water Monterey (PWM). Although Monterey County has experienced continuing seawater intrusion since the 1940s, this was not the case before widespread civilization and industry. The groundwater table used to be high enough that there was a “freshwater bubble,” in the shallow coastal waters of Monterey Bay. Since then, technology for groundwater extraction has improved to meet the needs of residential and industrial interests.  

Revision as of 22:06, 6 April 2020

A watershed-related issue examined by the ENVS 560/L Watershed Systems class at CSUMB.

The Salinas River, as visible from San Ardo in southern Monterey County.
[1]

Introduction

Monterey County does not receive any water allocations from state programs such as the State Water Project or Central Valley Project. [2] and primarily receives water from the Carmel River alluvial aquifer and the Seaside Groundwater Basin. With a growing population and a booming agricultural industry nicknamed “The Salad Bowl of America,” the region has a high annual demand for water usage.

These issues of water scarcity are attributed to more demand for water than supply, and there are currently water recycling programs in place such as the Castroville Seawater Intrusion Project (CSIP), Monterey One Water (M1W), and Pure Water Monterey (PWM). Although Monterey County has experienced continuing seawater intrusion since the 1940s, this was not the case before widespread civilization and industry. The groundwater table used to be high enough that there was a “freshwater bubble,” in the shallow coastal waters of Monterey Bay. Since then, technology for groundwater extraction has improved to meet the needs of residential and industrial interests.

The Carmel River aquifer is the main source of water supply for the Peninsula, as well as supplementation by the Seaside basin, and other sub-basins. Since 1999, the Carmel River received a notorious listing of one of North America’s 10 most endangered rivers. There has been a history of water scarcity in Monterey County since the mid-1900s, and in the last 10 years, there have been two novel and conflicting solutions put forward to address future water supply: a new desalination plant in Marina (the Monterey Peninsula Water Supply Project), and an expansion of existing water recycling programs (Pure Water Monterey Expansion project).

Existing Water Supply Projects

References

  1. Salinas River. Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory photo: Salinas River Updated May 2008. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
  2. Department of Water Resources California State Water Delivery Project Updated 2020. Retrieved April 5, 2020.

Additional Links

Disclaimer

This page may contain student work completed as part of assigned coursework. It may not be accurate. It does not necessary reflect the opinion or policy of CSUMB, its staff, or students.