Is there groundwater in California?
Groundwater is a vital component of California’s water supply. On average, underground aquifers provide nearly 40% of the water used by California’s farms and cities, and significantly more in dry years. About 85% of Californians depend on groundwater for some portion of their water supply.
How serious is the drought in California?
More than 80 percent of it is parched, with close to half of the region in “extreme” drought. The Hoover Dam reservoir, the largest in the US, hit the lowest water level in its history earlier this month. It’s a crucial water source for 25 million people across several states, including California.
Why is drought so bad in California?
California has one of the most variable climates of any U.S. state, and often experiences very wet years followed by extremely dry ones. The state’s reservoirs have insufficient capacity to balance the water supply between wet and dry years.
Where are most aquifers in California?
Unlike surface water, which is mostly found in the northern and eastern parts of the state, aquifers are widely distributed throughout California. Additionally, they are also often found in places where freshwater is most needed, for instance, in the Central Valley and Los Angeles .
What is the difference between groundwater and aquifer?
As nouns the difference between aquifer and groundwater. is that aquifer is an underground layer of water-bearing porous stone, earth, or gravel while groundwater is water that exists beneath the earth’s surface in underground streams and aquifers.
What are the effects of groundwater pollution?
There are two major effects of groundwater pollution. First, groundwater pollution can cause illnesses, such as hepatitis and cholera. Hepatitis is a liver disease. If left untreated, it can cause liver damage.
What is the Midwest aquifer?
COLBY, KANSAS – The Ogallala Aquifer is a large underground water resource that sits below parts of seven U.S. states in the Midwest. The aquifer is used to provide fresh water to people and to irrigate crops in the region.