The National Academic Press just released the report “Water Implications of Biofuels Production in the United States“. Citing from the summary:

If projected future increases in use of corn for ethanol production do occur, the increase in harm to water quality could be considerable. In addition, expansion of corn production on fragile soils can increase loads of both nutrients and sediments. It is vitally important to pursue policies that prevent an increase in total loadings of nutrients, pesticides, and sediments to waterways. From a water quantity perspective, measures to conserve water and prevent the unsustainable withdrawal of water from depleted aquifers could be critical.

Water. We use a lot of it in California, and especially in Central Valley, one of the largest agricultural areas in the world. This area is inhabited by many wonderful folks, including Bill and George Longfellow, the dairy farmers we are visiting today, as well as thousands and thousands of cows. What comes out of these cows, apart from the milk, may get in to the groundwater. Professor Thomas Harter from UC Davis is starting a new project at the Longfellow farm to monitor groundwater quality. He and his team will drill wells to measure nitrate, salt and other substances in the soil and the water.

Surrounded by the cows, Thomas talks to Margot about his new project, his search for manure evidence in groundwater, and about drilling wells.

Water. We use a lot of it in California, and especially in Central Valley, one of the largest agricultural areas in the world. This area is inhabited by many wonderful folks, including Bill and George Longfellow, the dairy farmers we are visiting today, as well as thousands and thousands of cows. What comes out of these cows, apart from the milk, may get in to the groundwater. Professor Thomas Harter from UC Davis is starting a new project at the Longfellow farm to monitor ground water quality. He and his team will drill wells to measure nitrate, salt and other substances in the soil and the water.

His results are eagerly awaited by Bill and George, who are keen to improve the management of their farm waste to reduce its impact. We talk with the dairy farming brothers about their farm and thier interest in this project.

Think of Central Valley, California — an incredibly large agricultural area in the middle of a state, which is vital to the Calif. economy, but not exactly known for its regular and heavy rainfall. Our crops and our cattle require enormous volumes of water to be transported to this area from the wetter North and the snowpack in the East. And these enormous volumes of water require enormous quantities of energy to get them to their final destination.

Water and energy: intrinsically linked, and both incredibly important for the future of our planet.

We start a new series of podcasts on water issues with groundwater expert Professor Thomas Harter, from UC Davis. In this first interview we discuss general water issues for California. In the following two podcasts, we speak with Thomas about his new groundwater quality project on the Hanford dairy farm owned by the Longfellow brothers, George and Bill.