Weather whiplash is the new normal, but it offers ways to capture water for California | Opinion

For the past several years we hoped for rain and snow to ease the crippling drought across California. We got more than we bargained for this past winter.

This water was certainly welcomed and lifted most of our state out of dire dry conditions. But the intensity of that rainfall also led to devastating flooding that caused billions of dollars of damage, including to homes and farms in the Central Valley.

Now comes the snow melt.

As the weather warms, the historic snow pack in the Sierra will thaw and flow down into our already swollen rivers. Our communities will likely experience more flooding in the near future.

It’s time to prepare, to improve our plans to protect our communities and capture water for future dry days. After all, hydrologic whiplash is the new normal in California and we have to brace ourselves.

Due to climate change, we will erratically bounce from bone dry to soaking wet. We can expect multiyear droughts followed by multiple atmospheric rivers, a roller coaster we just experienced.

California has made significant strides on managing water scarcity. Now we must intensify our focus on thoughtfully handling water abundance.

First, it’s urgent we bolster protection for communities at risk of floods. We also must seize each precious opportunity to save water for dry times and benefit the environment and economy.

Despite the damage, there were heartening examples elsewhere in the Central Valley of the potential for re-purposing agricultural land to capture excess water, replenish aquifers, provide habitat and build climate resilience.

Water intentionally diverted onto former farm fields in Dunnigan attracted wildlife and soaked into the soil to raise groundwater levels. Recharged aquifers like these are lifelines for farms and towns. Novel recharge approaches are vital for complying with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, which requires most basins to balance groundwater by 2042.

A governor’s executive order has recently created opportunities in areas like Madera County where the ability to legally divert water is easing flood damage and spreading water across the landscape to recharge aquifers. Communities continue to be at risk as roads and bridges have been closed, but further damage is being averted by continuous diversions of flood flows off channels that are only growing larger as the temperature rises.

Yet there is more to do.

As snow melts in the weeks and months ahead, we need to expand recharge areas and put water into other depleted aquifers. This will boost water stored for times of drought. We also need to use these efforts to further refine recharge policies and practices for future years.

There are more ways we can improve during wet periods:

▪ Increase proactive planning. Determining the most effective ways to recharge groundwater is complex and can come with downsides, such as carrying pollution into aquifers. We must strengthen planning and focus on details of the best and safest places to send flood waters in coordination with groundwater sustainability plans. The key is finding sweet spots to minimize risks of flooding and impacts to drinking water sources and the environment.

▪ Expand coordination and communication. We applaud the direction of the state and the intent of executive orders that facilitate groundwater recharge. Going forward, the state should further expand dialogue with local flood agencies and stakeholders and provide earlier notice of authority to act so landowners can prepare to safely put more water in the ground.

▪ Avoid bureaucratic slowdowns — without sacrificing safety. It can be difficult to adapt to changing conditions and manage details during a storm, so it’s important to plan and identify where processes can be streamlined. For example, the designation of flood conditions and diversion reporting requirements should be modified to allow for water capture in a time-sensitive manner. This must, of course, happen in ways that won’t risk community safety, groundwater contamination, or negative environmental impacts.

▪ Leverage stakeholder unity. There is much agreement among stakeholders on ways to manage scarcity and abundance. We must leverage that spirit of cooperation to make improvements now. As co-chairs of the San Joaquin Valley Water Collaborative Action program, there is alignment among agriculture, communities, environmental interests, and the state on many approaches that can provide a range of benefits. For example, multibenefit land repurposing incentivizes farmers to voluntarily repurpose agricultural land to uses that require little to no water and can create a more resilient landscape with recharge basins, restored floodplains, and community parks.

The good news is we are on the path to being better prepared for heavy rains and melting snow, but it is urgent that we act now to make improvements. The cycle of hydrologic whiplash is difficult, but the silver lining is the opportunity to create a more resilient California.

Ann Hayden and Sarah Woolf are co-chairs of the San Joaquin Valley Water Collaborative Action Program. Hayden is also the associate vice president for Resilient Water Systems at the Environmental Defense Fund. Woolf is president of Water Wise and works in her family’s San Joaquin Valley farm business.