… The latest Trends Report from the California ASFMRA (American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers) reveals a significant correction in land values due largely to SGMA, though land values in some cases did not seem to be following as quickly with what some said was coming. … For the San Joaquin Valley, where the northern region enjoys more ample water supplies than other parts of the valley, even there, farmland values have declined significantly. … Conservative estimates suggest that $17 billion of value in irrigated lands alone has been erased from financial ledgers, according to Scott Bozzo, an accredited farm manager with Macotera Ag Group from Lodi, California. … California’s most valuable agricultural county by gross output continues to be Kern. … The highest agricultural land values in Kern County remain in the river districts or where districts have done a good job managing groundwater.

Other groundwater news:

•  SJV Water: Kings County Water District adds new member to the board
• Public Policy Institute of California: Blog: How to set up groundwater agencies for recharge success
• SJV Water: Kings County Farm Bureau to hold educational groundwater sessions
• USDA Economic Research Service: Infographic: Irrigation organizations use a variety of methods to price water