Solving problem of Lodi’s water needs

Editor: Water! It is essential to human life. And there is not much of it. At least not much good quality potable stuff. I think about this every day as I drive past the Woodbridge Dam off Lower Sacramento Road — for the past six months large quantities of good water have spilled over the dam, down the river, out to the bay. Gone forever! No use to anyone, not even the fish.

As a partial solution to the surplus water, the state has a plan to flood an area southwest of Red Bluff (called “Pebbles"). There is talk of recharging groundwater east of Stockton. I believe we have an opportunity to do something similar here in Lodi.

Expressing it very simply — just reverse part of our system in place where we take water from Lodi Lake on a regular basis, purchasing it from the Woodbridge Irrigation District to supply approximately 30 percent of Lodi’s needs. The WID has very senior water rights. The farmers are using less by virtue of converting flood vineyards into vineyards with grapes up on wires and water applied via individual emitters. This trend will continue.

Just reverse the water direction from the water plant to wells and pumps not in use and inject that water down into the strata we have been using. This should not be as costly as a new system. Pumps are in place, electricity is there, the wells are drilled, etc.