California is the primary source for a lot of the country’s agricultural production, especially nuts and vegetables. But the amount of water available from surface sources is nowhere enough to maintain production, so farmers have been pumping more and more water out of the aquifers to get what they need for their crops. However, as they do so, the water table drops and other well owners may suddenly run out of water, leading to more well drilling. It’s a cycle that is getting worse as droughts get longer and more land is put into production. You can read the LA Times story to learn more about the history of water rights in California and how the excessive drilling is affecting producers there.
