Integrating Water Quality Objectives with Traditional Water Rights in California: The Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta Case

14 pages (includes 1 map)

Integrating Water Quality Objectives with Traditional Water Rights in California: The Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta Case

14 pages (includes 1 map)

PRESSURES CREATED BY A SEVERE DROUGHT ON WATER INSTITUTION

California has a complex and diverse water resources management system. Within the State there are about 195 major surface reservoirs with a capacity of 48 100 cubic hectometers (39 million acre-feet). The State is underlain by an extensive aquifer system which has usable ground water storage capacity of 176 400 cubic hectometers (143 MAF). Ground water pumpage has averaged over the recent past about 18 500 cubic hectometers (15 MAF) per year, or about 40 percent of the State's total applied water use