Original air date: Dec. 8, 2008

Groundwater basins have long played a critical role in meeting California's water needs. Today, many local water agencies are pursuing groundwater banking to maximize water resources and improve local water supply reliability. Groundwater banking programs allow surface water to be captured in wet periods and stored in groundwater basins for use in dry times Huell visits two agencies that are putting these practices to work. Kern Water Bank Authority is the largest known underground water storage and recovery facility in the world with over 1 million-acre feet of storage capacity. The Vern Freeman Diversion Facility diverts water from the Santa Clara River that would otherwise be lost to the ocean. This is but one project in a series designed to combat seawater intrusion and conserve and protect the water supply for 325,000 people in Ventura County.

Funded in part by the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA), which provided the video.