Trends in the Water Energy Food Nexus of California's Central Valley
TRENDS IN THE WATER ENERGY FOOD NEXUS OF CALIFORNIA’S CENTRAL VALLEY: DRIVERS OF VULNERABILITY WITHIN THE NEXUS OF OIL PRODUCTION, AGRICULTURE AND WATER USE IN KERN COUNTY Ellen Doudna December, 2016 Introduction Groundwater is an important natural resource for both human and environmental benefit. It can be used for drinking water or irrigation, and it can be accessed according to localized demand without the need for substantial infrastructure (Giordano, 2009). Groundwater serves as a critical reserve for agriculture in times of drought (Famiglietti et al., 2011), and is of vital importance to water security for rural communities (Taylor, et al., 2012). Many major aquifers globally, especially in arid and semiarid climates, are in decline because abstract rates exceed natural recharges to support irrigated agricultural practices. There are several socioeconomic factors contributing to this so-called “Global Groundwater Crisis” (Famiglietti, 2014), including fundamental science that is needed to better characterize the volume of groundwater that may be sustainably withdrawn (Famiglietti, 2014; Taylor et al., 2012). At the same time, drivers of groundwater use are complex and multi-faceted. Here, drivers mean “factors that cause a particular phenomenon to happen or develop” (Oxford English Living Dictionaries, 2016). Economic growth, urbanization, and increased demand for irrigation or energy development place increased pressure on groundwater resources worldwide (Hoff, 2011). Climate change is predicted to increase the frequency and duration of droughts, especially in semi-arid regions, which will intensify groundwater demand (Taylor et al., 2012). The Water-Energy-Food Nexus (hereafter WEF Nexus) is a useful framework to understand the dynamic relationships between these sectors to improve their collective management (Rasul and Sharma, 2015).
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