Groundwater in a nutshell

Posted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sunday, 18 January 2015

Merced Sun-Star
1-15-15
Letter to the editor of Merced Sun-Star:
Pat and Gerry Westfall: Water table has fallen 200 feet, stop drilling now!
http://www.mercedsunstar.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article667711...
It is urgent in Merced County to stop all new development, planting of trees and crops, on rangeland, with no way to water except to pump from the ground.
We have lived in Merced’s Eastern County for 53 years; when we moved here the water table was at 40 feet and our well was 125 feet deep; providing plenty of water for our home, yard and cattle. Today our well is 325 feet to water and 475 feet deep with not a large flow. All new agriculture wells in our area are drilling to 1,000 feet and not getting much water.
The answer is so simple; they are taking out, at an alarming rate, more water then is coming back in.
If we are ever able to stabilize our groundwater tables, we cannot continue to allow this. Groundwater comes from snowpack and rain that feed into gulleys, streams and rivers; this is what seeps back into the ground, and we are abusing what nature has provided.
PAT AND GERRY WESTFALL, LE GRAND