Water Well Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/668983
frame, fuel system, lights, steering mechanism, driveline/driveshaft, sus- pension, van and open-top trailer bodies, wheels and rims, and windshield wipers. Drivers are required to provide items such as their license, endorsements, medical card and hours-of-service docu- mentation, and may be checked for seat belt usage and the use of alcohol and/or drugs. During International Roadcheck, nearly 17 trucks or buses are inspected, on average, every minute in Canada, the United States, and Mexico during a 72- hour period. CVSA-certified inspectors conduct compliance, enforcement, and educational initiatives targeted at vari- ous elements of motor carrier, vehicle, and driver safety. To learn more, visit www.cvsa.org/ programs/int_roadcheck.php. Storing Extra Surface Water Boosts Groundwater Supply During Droughts Study Shows Although years of drought and over- pumping have significantly depleted groundwater in Arizona and California, a new study shows the situation has an upside: It has created underground reservoirs where extra surface water can be stored during wet times so it is avail- able during drought. The study, published in the journal Environmental Research Letters in March, also found regions that actively store surface water in underground aquifers have increased their groundwa- ter supply over time, even as surround- ing areas depleted theirs. The findings are important because they show techniques used to increase groundwater storage are working. With projected increases in droughts and floods with climate change, and Califor- nia investing $2.7 billion to expand water storage, these techniques could help drought-prone regions prepare for extremes, says lead author Bridget Scanlon, Ph.D., of the University of Texas at Austin's Bureau of Economic Geology. The bureau is a research unit at the University of Texas Jackson School of Geosciences. The researchers found groundwater in Arizona's active management areas has been rising an average of 0.3 to 1.6 feet per year since the early 2000s. In contrast, nearby areas saw groundwater declines of 1.5 to 4 feet per year. California Groundwater Regulations Are Called Confusing and Costly The Fresno Bee reports farm water managers say new rules for managing underground supplies are confusing and possibly expensive. The upcoming written regulations for groundwater management agencies need major adjustments, central San Joaquin Valley water district managers told state officials. The regulations are slated to go into effect June 1. At a public meeting attended by about 100 farmers and water district managers, several expressed worry that groundwater basins in San Joaquin Val- ley will have multiple agencies, but the kind of smooth coordination among them that the regulations anticipate may be difficult to achieve. Groundwater management agencies are being established in basins around the state, and must be created by mid-2017. The Sustainable Groundwater Man- agement Act of 2014, approved by the Legislature as the California drought took hold with a vengeance, is meant to help California survive droughts without depleting underground reserves. NEWS from page 9 waterwelljournal.com 10 May 2016 WWJ