Reduced water availability ultimately affects jobs, economic activity and food supplies outside the area short of water, according to a study completed last year for the nation’s largest agricultural water district.
The latest report is one of a series prepared for the Westlands Water District, which covers 1,000 square miles in western Fresno County.
The analysis found that reduced water availability resulted in a 24.7% decline in the district’s economic activity and a nearly $25 million decrease in local government revenues since 2019.
A large part of the decline in economic activity was due to an increase in the agricultural acreage left fallow.
More fallowed land in turn reduced the need for workers to help harvest the vegetables, fruits and nuts that would have been grown on the agricultural acreage.
The decrease in agricultural activity led to about 7,500 jobs lost in Fresno and Kings counties, both of which rely heavily on agriculture. The report noted that household poverty rates in both counties rose in years when the water allocations fell below contracted amounts.
The water available in the district comes from surface water and groundwater. Surface water allocations from the federal Central Valley Project depend on federal and state regulatory decisions. Since 2023 the California Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) has governed use of groundwater.
U.S. Food Supplies
The report notes that decreased U.S. food production, especially of fresh fruit and vegetables, in response to disruptions in water availability has shifted the nation’s reliance on agricultural imports. U.S. Department of Agriculture statistics show that imports of fruit and tree nuts rose from $41.9 million in 2000 to $213 million in 2024.
“If the acreage fallowed since 2019 had been put back into production proportionally, Westlands growers alone would have added … $202.2 million in fruit and tree nut production in 2024, almost completely offsetting the volume of imports,” the report stated.
Similar patterns appear in other categories of produce, vegetables and agricultural products, according to the report.
Based on statistics from the California Department of Food and Agriculture, Westlands growers contribute significantly to the state’s supply of nine of the top 15 California agricultural exports: almonds, wine (by supplying wine grapes), pistachios, table grapes, processed tomatoes, raisins, cotton, lettuce, and seeds for sowing.
Hay, grain and feed produced by farms within Westlands contribute to dairy and beef products, two other top-ranked agricultural export categories.
Other Impacts
Valley Fever
The report highlighted the correlation between drought/lack of irrigation and Valley Fever cases. The Valley Fever fungus can survive in the soil during drought or when land isn’t irrigated. When rain falls or irrigation resumes the fungus grows again. People who breathe in the fungus spores spread in dirt and outdoor dust can become ill.
Valley Fever cases have been lowest during drought years and highest in the years immediately after a drought.
Bird Strikes
When more land is fallowed due to lack of water, rodent populations increase, as do the number of birds that prey on the rodents. The Naval Air Station Lemoore, to which Westlands supplies water, is located in the region.
Data reported by Lemoore Air Station and Westlands shows that the frequency of birds striking operating aircraft increases when unfarmed acreage near the air station increases.
