Our Water, Our Future: Looking back on our community workshop series
The Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency hosted five community workshops across the Salinas Valley over April and May 2024, drawing more than 100 community members for meaningful conversations about the future of groundwater in the Salinas Valley.
The Salinas Valley depends on groundwater for domestic and commercial use as well as to irrigate crops that feed the world. It is a vital resource that we have a shared responsibility to protect and manage.
The workshops were held in Salinas, Castroville, King City and Greenfield. Each session aimed to provide valuable information about how water is managed in the Valley, the steps residents and businesses have taken toward more efficient water use, and the wide range of options for us to consider in minimizing water waste, improving efficiencies and reallocating resources to ensure continued availability of water for the Salinas Valley Basin.
Topics discussed at the workshops included:
- The future of water availability and protection in the Salinas Valley
- Local water management responsibilities and partnerships
- Ongoing efforts on water use efficiency
- Tools for urban and agricultural water users in times of uncertainty
- Methods for water demand management and regulation
Broadly speaking, the Valley — along with the rest of the State — more frequently faces weather extremes that can result in too much or too little water. These extremes create uncertainty that impacts our communities, our businesses, our health and our safety. Preparing for uncertainty and sustainably managing the shared water resources is our collective responsibility.