BORREGO WATER COALITION MEMBERS HAVE TAKEN A BITE OUT OF THE BORREGO VALLEY GROUNDWATER BASIN OVERDRAFT

The Borrego Water Coalition ("the Coalition") members represent approximately 80% of the annual withdrawals from the Borrego Valley Groundwater Basin. Coalition members have been meeting monthly for over three years working on recommendations for a water sustainability policy for the Valley, and to better understand the BVGB's overdraft and what it will take to ensure a sustainable and affordable supply of potable (drinkable) water for the community.

During this same period, individual Coalition members have been actively pursuing water saving measures on their own, measures the Coalition is pleased to report when taken as a whole, will contribute savings of approximately 2,035 acre feet per year (AFY).

The full list of participating members and their reduced water use, can be seen in the next issue of The Borrego Sun, however, this is what two of their members had to say: -

Ryan Hall, Borrego Farms, "Over the last several years, we have been checking the water levels in one of our primary wells and have noticed the level rising. Our most recent check showed the static water level rise 3.47 feet from April 2015 to May 2016. This well is near the recently fallowed Viking Ranch and more recently fallowed Fortner Ranch. It is possible that we are closer to a balanced water draft then shown by the USGS report."

Bill Berkley, Rams Hill Golf Club, "It is nice to note that Rams Hill's fallowing of the Fortiner Farm has resulted in rising water levels in the aquifer as evidenced by a Borrego Farms. An increase in in their well water level of 3.47' in one year is impressive. Our research into "water farming" on our 3,000 acre Rams Hill development could also greatly improve aquifer water levels."