Development of Ground Water for Irrigation in the North Central Valley, California

The purpose of this report is to provide the Farm Security Administration guidance in developing, under the provisions of the Water Facilities Act, ground water for irrigation of lands in the North Central Valley. The scope of the report is limited to a description and an analysis of the physical conditions of the Valley as they pertain to ground-water development. The discussion of the agricultural, geological and ground-water conditions of the North Central Valley is stated in general terms with more detailed information of local features being presented in the analysis of conditions in the specific water-supply areas or subareas which combine to make up the total area covered in this report. It is recommended that the Administrator of the Farm Security Administration approve the North Central Valley for operations under the Water Facilities Program, and that authorization be given for processing loans of Farm Security Administration clients who wish to borrow money for drilling and equipping wells for irrigation. With the exception of the Clear Lake area, loans should be granted to those clients who farm lands on the Valley floor where ground-water supplies are available for development.