Climate

California has a plan for El Niño’s torrential rain: Save it for later

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Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 26/10/2026, 08:00:23 UTC.

Briefings

California is preparing for a potential El Niño event that could bring record rainfall, prompting a strategic shift toward underground storage. The state has passed the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act to manage aquifers, which currently hold 21 million acre feet of water. Experts note that while reservoirs can hold this volume, the land could theoretically hold a billion acre feet underground. The primary strategy involves diverting excess rainfall into basins to recharge aquifers, which then supply 40% of the state's water in average years and more during droughts. This approach aims to reduce reliance on imported water and restore wetlands, though the state's cities face challenges with aging sewer systems designed for 20th-century climate conditions.

Key points

• California passed the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act in 2014, requiring local agencies to manage dwindling subterranean supplies.
• The state's major reservoirs currently hold 21 million acre feet of water, but the land could hold a billion acre feet underground.

Context

This briefing covers California's response to a potential El Niño event, which historically brings record rainfall to the Golden State. The state is shifting from traditional reservoirs to managed aquifer recharge to reduce reliance on imported water. The context includes the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act and the specific water volume figures for reservoirs versus aquifer potential.

Limitations

Evidence is limited to a single article from October 2026. Specific dates for the El Niño event are not provided, and the exact timing of the upcoming rainfall is uncertain. The article cuts off mid-sentence regarding wastewater systems, and no data on the impact of the BirdReturns project is included.

Generated by Bittrees-hosted qwen35-2b sha256:aaf42c8b7c3c on 26/10/2026, 08:18:31 UTC. Based on publisher-provided feed evidence; may not cover the full original article. Check the source for details.

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