California sinking faster than ever

The problem is not limited to the San Joaquin Valley, the most arid part of the Central Valley of California. Land near Arbuckle in Colusa County sank five inches during the last half of 2014, the NASA report said.

Heavy pumping of groundwater causes clay between water pockets to collapse and ground to sink. This may damage critical infrastructure and also makes it harder for groundwater reservoirs to replenish. It may also hinder water from flowing through its natural underground pathways.

“Roads can be broken by fissures, pipelines have been exhumed, and the slope of the land can be altered, changing drainage patterns,” the NASA report warns.
Groundwater consumption remains at a historic high amid the drought, while its levels are dropping to record lows of up to 100 feet below previous measurements, says Mark Cowin, head of the California Department of Water Resources.

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California, a major farming state, has been reluctant to regulate groundwater pumping until Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill last year ordering local jurisdictions to draw up rules. Most areas have until 2020 to comply, with some able to postpone it till 2022.

“I don’t think we can end overdraft or subsidence overnight,” the governor said. “We do need to take action.”

http://www.rt.com/usa/312944-california-sinking-nasa-report/