Aquifers globally, including those in California, face groundwater depletion due to excessive pumping, land use changes and climate impacts.
A recent study by UC Santa Cruz and UC Berkeley presents a solution known as "Recharge Net Metering" (ReNeM).
California typically relies on groundwater for about 40% of its freshwater needs, with the Central Coast region heavily dependent, especially during droughts. The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) mandates balancing over 100 groundwater basins in California by 2040, but the challenge is getting more water into the ground.
“ReNeM helps to incentivize projects and participants to collect stormwater runoff generated during big winter rain events and percolate that water into aquifers,” lead author of the new paper Molly Bruce said. “This approach can help agencies to meet SGMA requirements. It is a similar approach to what the power industry has done with solar panels and ‘net energy metering,’ paying for excess electricity that is shared on the grid.”
Developed in collaboration with the Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County and the Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency, ReNeM identifies suitable project locations, secures funding, monitors performance, and issues rebates based on infiltration benefits.
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“ReNeM recognizes that putting water into the ground provides system services,” ReNeM co-developer and paper co-author Andrew Fisher said. “Some of that water may be pumped out later and used for crops, and some of that water may flow elsewhere in the aquifer and support aquatic conditions in nearby streams.”
The researchers say the ReNeM program is “highly adaptable and unique in many respects” because it can work on public or private land and can lead to both improved water quality and water supply. Payments are made in the form of a rebate that offsets fees charged for pumping groundwater. Plus, benefits from ReNeM can accrue to the groundwater basin overall, not just for those that recharge the water – setting the program apart from water banking.
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