After seeing land sinking in Red Bluff and Corning areas, Tehama County calls meeting
In a statement announcing the June 3 meeting, county officials said they found the mid- to southwestern part of Tehama had "observable land subsidence on a scale that has never been recorded."
Land subsidence is a drop in the Earth's crust — sudden or gradual — into empty underground space, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
In Tehama County, some of the area's groundwater dried up during years of heavy drought, according to the announcement. The soil is now collapsing into the cavity left by the absent water, making the ground above it sink.
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Other factors are further stressing what's left of the underground water supply, according to the county. These include changes in agricultural practices and less surface water available from lakes, creeks and other water bodies.
As empty underground water channels fill with collapsed soil from above, the space available for water sources to fill them becomes smaller. That means even during wet years, when there's more water, there's less opportunity for those water sources to refill or 'recharge' those underground reservoirs fast enough to save them.
All this doesn't bode well for county plans to expand agriculture wells in areas where the ground is sinking, the county reported in the announcement.
The Tehama County Groundwater Sustainability Agency gave county supervisors the results of their findings after monitoring groundwater levels and rate of sinking.
Supervisors plan to look at the agency's latest data, figure out how serious the situation is, look for possible solutions and intervene as needed, according to the county. The meeting — scheduled for 9 a.m. on Tuesday, June 3 in board chambers (727 Oak St., Red Bluff) — is a chance for residents to hear the results and participate in the discussion, the announcement said.
People can get more information and submit comments to Tehama County Deputy Director of Public Works Justin Jenson at 530-690-0700, extension 201. They can also email Jenson at jjenson@tcpw.ca.gov.
Jenson didn't return a phone call from the Record Searchlight late Tuesday afternoon.
Land subsidence in other parts of California is most often caused by people pumping out the groundwater for a variety of uses. These include directing water to urban centers and using it for agriculture and industrial projects, according to the USGS.
For more information about land subsidence in the state, go to usgs.gov/centers/land-subsidence-in-california.
Jessica Skropanic is a features reporter for the Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. She covers science, arts, social issues and news stories. Follow her on Twitter @RS_JSkropanic and on Facebook. Join Jessica in the Get Out! Nor Cal recreation Facebook group. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today. Thank you.
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Tehama finds land is sinking in Red Bluff, Corning areas after drought
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