Groundwater is an important water-supply source in the Coachella Valley. The demand for water has exceeded the deliveries of imported surface water, and groundwater levels have been declining as a result of increased pumping. A network of GPS stations has been set up in the valley to monitor subsidence resulting from declining groundwater levels.
The Coachella Valley is about 65 miles long with an area of about 400 mi2 and includes the cities and communities of Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Indio, and Coachella. In the lower valley, groundwater has been an important source of agricultural, municipal, and domestic water supplies since the early 1920's. Pumping of groundwater resulted in water-level declines of as much as 50 ft between the early 1920's and the late 1940's before the importation of Colorado River water in 1949. As a result of the availability of this surface-water supply, pumping of groundwater was reduced, and water levels recovered throughout most of the valley during the 1950's through the 1970's. Since the 1970's, however, the demand for water has exceeded the deliveries of imported surface water, and groundwater levels have been declining again as a result of increased pumping.
The Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) is responsible for effectively managing the water supply for a large part of the Coachella Valley. A successful management strategy involves reducing groundwater overdraft and related land subsidence while maintaining a reliable water supply to meet the growing demands of both agricultural and urban water users. As part of the overall water-management strategy, changes in land-surface elevation need to be monitored on a regular basis to assess whether and where land subsidence may be occurring. Continued monitoring has become even more important as allocations of Colorado River water change, complex water transfers are implemented, tiered rate structures are applied, and managed aquifer recharge measures are implemented.
In cooperation with the Coachella Valley Water District, the U.S. Geological Survey has established a program for monitoring land subsidence in the lower Coachella Valley. Data from the InSAR component of the monitoring program has been used with the data from the GPS surveys of the geodetic network, groundwater-level measurements, and groundwater production records, to map land-surface and groundwater-level changes and determine a possible relation between aquifer-system deformation and groundwater levels and(or) pumping. The InSAR data has also been used to expand the geodetic network into previously unmapped areas of deformation.

Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar Data, Mojave River and Morongo Groundwater Basins, Southwestern Mojave Desert, California, 2014-19
Global Positioning System Survey data for 2015, and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar Data for 1995-2017, Coachella Valley, Riverside County, California
Below are publications associated with this project.
Detection and measurement of land subsidence and uplift using Global Positioning System surveys and interferometric synthetic aperture radar, Coachella Valley, California, 2010–17
Mitigating land subsidence in the Coachella Valley, California, USA: An emerging success story
Land subsidence, groundwater levels, and geology in the Coachella Valley, California, 1993-2010
Detection and Measurement of Land Subsidence Using Global Positioning System Surveying and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar, Coachella Valley, California, 1996-2005
Detection and measurement of land subsidence using global positioning system and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar, Coachella Valley, California, 1998-2000
Detection and measurement of land subsidence using Global Positioning System and interferometric synthetic aperture radar, Coachella Valley, California, 1996-98
Geodetic network to evaluate historical elevation changes and to monitor land subsidence in lower Coachella Valley, California, 1996
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
Areas of Land Subsidence in California
In California, land subsidence—mostly from groundwater pumping—was first documented by the USGS in the early 20th century. Completion of State and Federal water projects that bring water from California's wet north to its dry south allowed some groundwater aquifers to recover, and subsidence decreased in these areas. Subsidence continues today, sometimes at high rates of more than 1 foot/year.
Below are partners associated with this project.
- Overview
Groundwater is an important water-supply source in the Coachella Valley. The demand for water has exceeded the deliveries of imported surface water, and groundwater levels have been declining as a result of increased pumping. A network of GPS stations has been set up in the valley to monitor subsidence resulting from declining groundwater levels.
The Coachella Valley is about 65 miles long with an area of about 400 mi2 and includes the cities and communities of Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Indio, and Coachella. In the lower valley, groundwater has been an important source of agricultural, municipal, and domestic water supplies since the early 1920's. Pumping of groundwater resulted in water-level declines of as much as 50 ft between the early 1920's and the late 1940's before the importation of Colorado River water in 1949. As a result of the availability of this surface-water supply, pumping of groundwater was reduced, and water levels recovered throughout most of the valley during the 1950's through the 1970's. Since the 1970's, however, the demand for water has exceeded the deliveries of imported surface water, and groundwater levels have been declining again as a result of increased pumping.
The Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) is responsible for effectively managing the water supply for a large part of the Coachella Valley. A successful management strategy involves reducing groundwater overdraft and related land subsidence while maintaining a reliable water supply to meet the growing demands of both agricultural and urban water users. As part of the overall water-management strategy, changes in land-surface elevation need to be monitored on a regular basis to assess whether and where land subsidence may be occurring. Continued monitoring has become even more important as allocations of Colorado River water change, complex water transfers are implemented, tiered rate structures are applied, and managed aquifer recharge measures are implemented.
In cooperation with the Coachella Valley Water District, the U.S. Geological Survey has established a program for monitoring land subsidence in the lower Coachella Valley. Data from the InSAR component of the monitoring program has been used with the data from the GPS surveys of the geodetic network, groundwater-level measurements, and groundwater production records, to map land-surface and groundwater-level changes and determine a possible relation between aquifer-system deformation and groundwater levels and(or) pumping. The InSAR data has also been used to expand the geodetic network into previously unmapped areas of deformation.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. Visit Media to see details.Areas of subsidence, consolidated rock, Global Positioning System (GPS) stations, and two Continuous GPS (CGPS) stations in the Coachella Valley, California, for June 27, 1995–September 19, 2010 (excludes November 8, 2000–November 30, 2003), as shown on a stacked and kriged interferogram. Three areas with larger magnitudes of subsidence are outlined. The Coachella Branch of the All-American Canal, which brings in water from the Colorado River, runs through an area of subsidence. (Public domain.) - Data
Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar Data, Mojave River and Morongo Groundwater Basins, Southwestern Mojave Desert, California, 2014-19
Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data from the European Space Agency's (ESA) Sentinel-1A satellite were acquired for this study from the Alaska Satellite Facility (ASF) and used to generate spatially detailed land-surface deformation maps (interferograms) for the Mojave River and Morongo groundwater basins during 2014–19 using InSAR methods.Global Positioning System Survey data for 2015, and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar Data for 1995-2017, Coachella Valley, Riverside County, California
GPS data collection: GPS measurements were taken at 24 geodetic monuments during September 27-October 2, 2015. The GPS surveys generally followed established guidelines (Zilkoski and others, 1997), except that the data were processed with single-baseline, rather than multi-baseline, software. GPS measurements were recorded at the monuments on at least 2 different days during 1-hour observation per - Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Detection and measurement of land subsidence and uplift using Global Positioning System surveys and interferometric synthetic aperture radar, Coachella Valley, California, 2010–17
Groundwater has been a major source of agricultural, recreational, municipal, and domestic supply in the Coachella Valley of California since the early 1920s. Pumping of groundwater resulted in groundwater-level declines as large as 50 feet (ft) or 15 meters (m) by the late 1940s. Because of concerns that the declines could cause land subsidence, the Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) and theAuthorsMichelle Sneed, Justin T. BrandtMitigating land subsidence in the Coachella Valley, California, USA: An emerging success story
Groundwater has been a major source of agricultural, municipal, and domestic water supply since the early 1920s in the Coachella Valley, California, USA. Land subsidence, resulting from aquifer-system compaction and groundwater-level declines, has been a concern of the Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) since the mid-1990s. As a result, the CVWD has implemented several projects to address grouAuthorsMichelle Sneed, Justin T. BrandtLand subsidence, groundwater levels, and geology in the Coachella Valley, California, 1993-2010
Land subsidence associated with groundwater-level declines has been investigated by the U.S. Geological Survey in the Coachella Valley, California, since 1996. Groundwater has been a major source of agricultural, municipal, and domestic supply in the valley since the early 1920s. Pumping of groundwater resulted in water-level declines as much as 15 meters (50 feet) through the late 1940s. In 1949,AuthorsMichelle Sneed, Justin T. Brandt, Mike SoltDetection and Measurement of Land Subsidence Using Global Positioning System Surveying and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar, Coachella Valley, California, 1996-2005
Land subsidence associated with ground-water-level declines has been investigated by the U.S. Geological Survey in the Coachella Valley, California, since 1996. Ground water has been a major source of agricultural, municipal, and domestic supply in the valley since the early 1920s. Pumping of ground water resulted in water-level declines as large as 15 meters (50 feet) through the late 1940s. In 1AuthorsMichelle Sneed, Justin T. BrandtDetection and measurement of land subsidence using global positioning system and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar, Coachella Valley, California, 1998-2000
Land subsidence associated with ground-water-level declines has been recognized as a potential problem in Coachella Valley, California. Since the early 1920s, ground water has been a major source of agricultural, municipal, and domestic supply in the valley. Pumping of ground water resulted in water-level declines as large as 15 meters (50 feet) through the late 1940s. In 1949, the importation ofAuthorsMichelle Sneed, Sylvia V. Stork, Marti E. IkeharaDetection and measurement of land subsidence using Global Positioning System and interferometric synthetic aperture radar, Coachella Valley, California, 1996-98
Land subsidence associated with ground-water-level declines has been recognized as a potential problem in Coachella Valley, California. Since the early 1920s, ground water has been a major source of agricultural, municipal, and domestic supply in the valley, resulting in water-level declines as large as 15 meters (50 feet) through the late 1940s. In 1949, the importation of Colorado River water toAuthorsMichelle Sneed, Marti E. Ikehara, D. L. Galloway, Falk AmelungGeodetic network to evaluate historical elevation changes and to monitor land subsidence in lower Coachella Valley, California, 1996
No abstract available.AuthorsMarti E. Ikehara, Steven K. Predmore, Daniel J. Swope - Web Tools
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
Areas of Land Subsidence in California
In California, land subsidence—mostly from groundwater pumping—was first documented by the USGS in the early 20th century. Completion of State and Federal water projects that bring water from California's wet north to its dry south allowed some groundwater aquifers to recover, and subsidence decreased in these areas. Subsidence continues today, sometimes at high rates of more than 1 foot/year.
- Partners
Below are partners associated with this project.