California’s drought has endured for 5 years, but recent research could provide some much-needed optimism for the future. Scientists from Stanford University believe the groundwater supply in the state’s Central Valley could be up to 3 times greater than current estimates indicate.


California’s drought has endured for 5 years, but recent research could provide some much-needed optimism for the future.
Scientists from Stanford University believe the groundwater supply in the state’s Central Valley could be up to 3 times greater than current estimates indicate. 
Tapping into the resources would not be without challenges. 
Much of the water is located between 1,000 and 3,000 feet below the surface, making extraction a potentially costly endeavor. 
Further, it may have a very high salinity and require considerable treatment to become suitable for both consumption and the irrigation of crops. 
Study co-author Robert Jackson points out, “Water a thousand feet down used to be too expensive to use. Today it’s used widely.”
He also notes that protecting the potentially lush resource is of great importance. 
There is concern that nearby drilling and fracking activities pose a danger to the water’s usability.