Log inSign up for FREE
Library

Do First - San Joaquin Valley

Last updated 11 months ago
5 questions
The San Joaquin Valley is one of the most productive agricultural regions in the nation. All of the agriculture in the area creates a high demand for water. Farmers have been withdrawing groundwater from the valley since the 1920s. By the 1970s, some areas had subsidence, or sinking, of up to 8.5 m!

Think about what happens when you leave a sponge out to dry. It shrinks! This is similar to what is happening in the San Joaquin Valley. As water is taken out of the ground, the pores are left empty. The pressure from everything above ground causes the soil to become compacted.

The valley is still subsiding with sinking increasing during periods of drought. The subsidence negatively impacts California water supplies, bridges, roads, groundwater wells, permanent groundwater storage, and more. California state and federal water agencies have spent an estimated $100 million on related repairs to the San Joaquin Valley since the 1960s.
1
4
The demand for water in the San Joaquin area is very low __________

How many years has it been since farmers have been drawing out groundwater from the valley? __________

San Joaquin is like a sponge because __________

Sinking increases due to__________
1
What is the deepest length that some areas of San Joaquin Valley have sunk? _______
1

"The pressure from everything above ground causes the soil to become compacted."

What does this mean?

1
This animated infographic shows how aquifer compaction can lead to land _______________ (the gradual caving in or sinking of an area of land). When water is pumped from a confined aquifer faster than it can recharge, the water pressure in the aquifer begins to _____________ . As water pressure decreases, both the confining layers and the aquifers themselves can start to compact under the ___________ of the overlying sediments. This causes subsidence at the surface.
Other Answer Choices:
subsidence
weight
decrease