California Groundwater Crisis: Matt Angel Sounds the Alarm on Water Management Failures
On today’s AgNet News Hour, the Ag Meter Nick Papagni and Josh McGill take a deep dive into one of California’s most pressing agricultural issues—groundwater management. Their guest, Madera County farmer and water expert Matt Angel, delivers a sobering and eye-opening assessment of the state’s water crisis and the systemic failures that have left California’s farmers struggling.
Angel, who’s lived and worked in the heart of Madera’s most impacted groundwater sub-basin, brings unmatched firsthand experience. Over the past nine years, he’s witnessed a staggering 140-foot drop in groundwater levels on his own farm. Through the episode, Angel lays out how SGMA (Sustainable Groundwater Management Act), while well-intentioned, has suffered from fragmented implementation, poor communication, and a lack of meaningful community involvement.
With over 12 GSAs (Groundwater Sustainability Agencies) in just three Madera County sub-regions, Angel explains that local governance has become chaotic and ineffective. Many production wells lack working flow meters, and the state’s reliance on outdated groundwater models further hinders progress. “You can’t manage what you can’t see,” he tells listeners, emphasizing the urgent need for real-time data and county-wide measurement systems.
In a candid and impassioned exchange, the show also explores why farmers aren’t better represented in water policy decisions and why experts like Angel are often left out of the conversation. “There’s only one farmer on all these boards,” says Papagni. “That’s the problem right there.”
Beyond water, the hosts touch on USDA restructuring, new cross-border water funding agreements, and the upcoming segment on almonds featuring Valley Pride Ag’s Sonny Torr. But it’s Angel’s clear-eyed warning about California’s groundwater that makes today’s show one of the most critical listens of the season.
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