.jpg)
On June 4, 2008, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared that California was in a statewide drought. This declaration occurred after two years of below-average rainfall, low snowmelt runoff and the largest court-ordered restriction on water transfers in state history. As a result of the drought and water transfer restrictions in Southern California, many water advocates fear that water sales and transfers will increase in Northern California, resulting in the depletion of its surface and groundwater resources. One of these resources, the Tuscan Aquifer, lies beneath eastern Glenn County and Butte and Tehama counties. It is estimated to be one of the largest groundwater aquifers in the state, with a capacity of approximately 30 million acre-feet of water, more than 30 times the capacity of Folsom Lake.
Within the Tuscan region, reliance on groundwater is rising with a growing population. In Butte County, groundwater already supplies approximately one-third of the water needed for agriculture, urban uses and wildlife habitat. The depletion of groundwater lowers surface-water flows and drains wetlands, damaging riparian habitat and adversely affecting water quality. Building public support for watershed protection and generating interest among landowners for permanent land protection using conservation easements will help protect the watersheds and recharge areas of the Tuscan Aquifer.
With funding from the Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC), NCRLT is conducting coordinated outreach with eight collaborating, local watershed conservation groups in eastern Butte and Tehama counties. This progressive, multi-county project is promoting and facilitating watershed stewardship, regional community connectivity, and habitat connectivity through the permanent protection of riparian properties within multiple watersheds (view map here).
As a result of the project thus far, NCRLT has received six land protection applications and is currently working with five landowners on several conservation projects in two watersheds. One such project aims to permanently protect 5,545 contiguous acres along Rock and Pine Creeks in the Mill-Big Chico Watershed.
Watershed partners include:
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg)
.jpg)
