Importance of groundwater
Groundwater is water that flows beneath the surface through small pores and cracks in the rock and soil. Throughout the world, the majority of available fresh water is in the form of groundwater. In Santa Clara County, nearly half of all water used comes from groundwater. The county's groundwater basins have vast storage capacity, estimated to be three times the capacity of all the district's 10 surface reservoirs combined.
Ensuring a reliable supply
Groundwater basins are naturally replenished by rainfall, water percolating through stream beds, and other sources. As natural recharge is not sufficient to replenish the amount of groundwater pumped, the district releases local and imported surface water through recharge facilities, which include streams and recharge ponds. This coordinated use of groundwater and surface water is critical for ensuring a reliable water supply, storing water for use during droughts and shortages, and preventing land subsidence, which is very costly to the community.
Ensuring a safe supply
Numerous sources can pollute groundwater, making it costly to treat or even unusable. Since the restoration of contaminated groundwater can take years, decades, or longer, the district works to protect the groundwater basins from contamination and the threat of contamination. The district's groundwater protection programs allow us to assess regional groundwater quality, identify and evaluate threats, and help prevent or mitigate contamination.
Check this out!
The Groundwater Story (Courtesy of the King County Groundwater Protection Program)
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