ENVS THESIS DEFENSE: Fri May 13 NOON CLARK HALL 225: Jason Reed, M.S. Candidate: Growers’ Attitudes Towards Using Recycled Water to Mitigate Seawater Intrusion: A Case Study of the Castroville Seawater Intrusion Project
Emily Moffitt
PLEASE FORWARD, ANNOUNCE, AND POST:
The Department of Environmental Studies at San José State University is pleased to present a public research presentation
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Friday, May 13, 2016 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM Clark HALL 225 |
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Jason Reed M.S. Candidate
Environmental Studies Department San Jose State University
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Growers’ Attitudes Towards Using Recycled Water to Mitigate Seawater Intrusion:
A Case Study of the Castroville Seawater Intrusion Project
The northern part of the Salinas River Valley Watershed has endured the effects of seawater intrusion for several decades, due to over pumping groundwater from underground aquifers. The entire state of California experienced a severe drought in recent years, and future climate change impacts must be accounted for as well. Castroville Seawater Intrusion Project (CSIP) finished construction of its distribution system in 1998 to supply the local growers with recycled water and other blended water sources due to wells becoming too saline. Recycled water accounts for 65% of the overall water used by the CSIP growers, and is the largest distribution system of recycled water for food crop irrigation in the United States. The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) of 2014 is the recent force behind groundwater management on a state level that includes the CSIP area. The implementation and execution of SGMA will be crucial for the success of water management in CSIP. In-person interviews of eighteen (18) growers within the CSIP service area explored factors that influence grower acceptance for mitigating seawater intrusion and securing sustainable water sources. The study suggests that education and communication are critical for continued trust, all of which help maintain positive support from growers. In addition, environmental impacts associated with seawater intrusion must be minimized and considered in water management decisions, as well as cost and water quality.
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LIGHT REFRESHMENTS PROVIDED. ALL ARE WELCOME. |