Carrots: The Thirsty Crop That Is Draining an Arid Valley’s Water Resources

The Cuyama Valley is a remote and arid region in California, north of Santa Barbara. It is home to about 2,000 people, mostly farmers and ranchers who rely on the valley's only water source: groundwater.

The groundwater is stored in an aquifer, a layer of rock and sand that holds water underground.

The aquifer is replenished by rain and snow, but the valley receives very little precipitation, averaging only 12 inches per year.

For decades, the groundwater has been pumped out by wells and sprinklers to irrigate crops, especially carrots.

Carrots are a thirsty crop, requiring about 14 inches of water per year. The Cuyama Valley produces about 10% of the nation's carrots and is dominated by two of the world's largest carrot-growing companies: Grimmway Farms and Bolthouse Farms.

Together, they farm about 15,000 acres of carrots in the valley, using about 70,000 acre-feet of water per year. That is enough water to supply more than half a million people.

The excessive pumping of groundwater has caused the aquifer to drop by more than 300 feet since the 1950s.

This has led to land subsidence, saltwater intrusion, and reduced water quality. The aquifer is now critically overdrafted, meaning that more water is taken out than put back in. If this trend continues, the aquifer could run dry, leaving the valley without water.

The Legal Battle: Who Has the Right to Pump Groundwater?

(Photo : JOEL SAGET/AFP via Getty Images)

In 2014, California passed the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), a law that requires local agencies to develop and implement plans to manage groundwater sustainably by 2040.

The law also allows groundwater users to file lawsuits to determine their rights to pump groundwater, based on historical and beneficial use.

In 2019, Grimmway Farms and Bolthouse Farms filed such a lawsuit against more than 1,000 other property owners in the Cuyama Valley, including residents, small farmers, ranchers, and the Cuyama Community Services District (CCSD), which provides water and sewer services to the town of New Cuyama.

The carrot companies claimed that they have superior rights to pump groundwater, and that the other parties have no rights or limited rights.

They also asked the court to appoint a watermaster, a person or entity that would oversee and regulate groundwater pumping in the valley.

The lawsuit sparked outrage and resistance among the defendants, who argued that the carrot companies are trying to monopolize the groundwater and undermine the SGMA process.

They formed a coalition called the Cuyama Valley Water Guardians, and hired lawyers to fight the lawsuit.

They also launched a campaign to boycott carrots, urging consumers to stop buying carrots from Grimmway Farms and Bolthouse Farms.

They put up signs and banners along the valley's roads and outside their homes and businesses, saying "BOYCOTT CARROTS" and "STAND WITH CUYAMA AGAINST CORPORATE GREED".

The boycott campaign has gained support from local and national organizations, such as the Community Water Center, Food and Water Watch, and the Sierra Club.

The campaign has also attracted media attention, raising awareness about the water crisis in the Cuyama Valley and the impacts of corporate agriculture on groundwater resources.

Also Read: Carrots Won't Help You See at Night, but Blueberries Might?

The Future: Can the Cuyama Valley Achieve Water Sustainability?

The lawsuit is still ongoing, and the outcome is uncertain. The carrot companies have said that they are willing to negotiate a settlement with the other parties, but they have not withdrawn the lawsuit.

The CCSD and the Cuyama Valley Water Guardians have said that they are open to dialogue, but they have not accepted the carrot companies' claims to superior water rights.

The court has appointed a mediator to facilitate the discussions, but no agreement has been reached so far.

Meanwhile, the SGMA process is also moving forward, albeit slowly. The Cuyama Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA), a joint powers authority composed of representatives from the county, the state, and the CCSD, has developed a groundwater management plan for the valley, which was approved by the state in 2020.

The plan sets a goal to reduce groundwater overdraft by 70% by 2040, and proposes various actions to achieve it, such as monitoring, metering, reporting, and enforcing groundwater use, implementing water conservation and efficiency measures, developing alternative water sources, and restoring natural recharge areas.

However, the plan does not address the issue of water rights, which is left to the court to decide.

The plan also does not specify how the groundwater pumping reductions will be allocated among the different users, which is a contentious and complex matter.

The GSA has said that it will develop a groundwater allocation framework in the future, based on the court's ruling and the input from the stakeholders.

The Cuyama Valley faces a daunting challenge to achieve water sustainability and balance the needs of its diverse and conflicting water users.

The carrot boycott campaign is a manifestation of the frustration and desperation of a community that feels threatened by the actions of powerful corporate interests.

The lawsuit is a test of the legal and institutional framework that governs groundwater rights and management in California.

The SGMA process is an opportunity for collaboration and innovation to find solutions that are fair and effective.

The fate of the Cuyama Valley depends on the outcome of these three intertwined processes, and the willingness of all parties to work together for the common good.