Pumping from the Paso Robles groundwater sub-basin continued at unsustainable levels last year — with agriculture extracting more water than domestic well owners and municipal water systems combined, according to a new report. The sub-basin, which pools underground from the area east of Highway 101 to north of Highway 58, was designated as “critically overdrafted” by the California Department of Water Resources. Basin users pumped 75,100 acre-feet of water in 2024, up from 63,600 acre-feet in 2023 — an 18% increase, according to the latest annual report for the basin. … That’s far from the estimated sustainable yield of 61,100 acre-feet per year. … This is the eighth year in a row that pumping exceeded the sustainable yield.

Other groundwater news:

• The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, Calif.): Opinion: Close to home: Still time to settle county well ordinance dispute​
• Cal Coast News (San Luis Obispo, Calif.): Latest in Paso Robles Groundwater Basin war: Drop tax on small users
• Valley Voice (Ivanhoe, Calif.): Kings Water Alliance announces first residential well nitrate test in Kings County