Dive into the Deep Aquifer Study
The recently-completed Deep Aquifer Study is now available on the SVBGSA website. This landmark work aims to understand the conditions of the Deep Aquifers better, including the geographic extent and hydrogeologic characteristics of these important water sources.
The groundwater basin where the Salinas Valley meets the coast is a layered aquifer system. The barriers within the layered aquifer system, called aquitards, create unique aquifers called the 180-Foot, 400-Foot and Deep Aquifers. As seawater intruded into the upper two aquifers — the 180-Foot and 400-Foot Aquifers — both municipal and agricultural wells were drilled deeper into the Deep Aquifers at depths of 900 to 2,100 feet.
While the Deep Aquifers are an important water source in the Salinas Valley Basin, groundwater levels in many wells have declined dramatically, which has led to questions regarding the risk of seawater intrusion and whether they receive any inflow.