Thanks to a $242,073 grant from the National Institutes of Health, Brooks and three other Fresno State biochemistry faculty were able to acquire a surface plasmon resonance instrument platform. Think of it as a fancy laser system with a prism, Brooks said. A sample is placed on the surface, a light shines through it and the reflected light intensity is measured. 

The award was one of 434 grants and contracts that Fresno State received during the 2023-24 academic year for a total of $78.3 million, setting another research and grant funding record for the sixth consecutive year. 

That’s a 10.8% increase in funding over the previous year to support academic research, provide internship opportunities, offer mentorship programs, purchase equipment and more. 

Brooks, who has taught biochemistry at Fresno State since 2013, specializes in researching antibodies for treating pancreatic cancer. In the past, he has had to collaborate with other universities and institutions to measure protein interactions. 

“Now, we can bring that capability here. That’s very exciting,” Brooks said. “These instruments have been around for a long time but most of the instruments have very expensive maintenance associated with them. This one, because of the design, requires basically zero maintenance, so it’s perfect for undergraduate research.” 

Brooks added that “this instrument is heavily used in biotech … we can train students how to use it, and the theory behind it, in the teaching lab or in the research labs and that could be a valuable skill for students who want to go work in biotech.”

The grants awarded to Fresno State varied in amounts and came from a variety of nationally known federal, state and private agencies. Among the notable grants and contracts from the past year are: 

• $5 million from the Mellon Foundation to the College of Arts and Humanities to design, implement and scale an internship program for humanities majors that will allow them to put theories learned during coursework into practice. 
• $200,000 from the Andrew Carnegie Fellowship to political science professor Dr. Lisa Bryant, who was named as one of 28 Andrew Carnegie Fellows. The stipend is to be used for research related to political polarization. 
• $226,951 for continued funding from the California Department of Health Care Services to Fresno Family Counseling Center’s Mentored Internship Program. The counseling center provides services to Fresno County residents and is a training program for Fresno State’s Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling program. 

In 2022, Fresno State earned an R2 designation as a “Doctoral University – High Research Activity” by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, highlighting a significant commitment to growing research activities at Fresno State.

“I am energized by the remarkable strides our institution continues to make in research productivity. As an R2 institute, our dynamic faculty, staff, administrators and innovative students are driving impactful scholarship and creativity across disciplines,” said Dr. Joy J. Goto, interim dean of the Division of Research and Graduate Studies at Fresno State. “This growing momentum is a testament to our commitment to fostering a collaborative and supportive environment that fuels academic and societal advancements.”

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“Housing Performance and the Electorate,” co-written by Erin Cifci of Austin Peay State University, Alan Tidwell of the University of Alabama, J. Sherword Clements of Virginia Tech and Jauregui, was published in the Journal of Real Estate Research.

Jauregui and his colleagues tested the hypothesis that voters are motivated to vote for the party they perceive as beneficial to their property values. The study analyzed how local housing markets affected county-level voting patterns across the United States during the past six presidential elections.

“Our study confirms that voters are significantly concerned about the value of their homes and will reflect these concerns at the polls,” Jauregui said.

The researchers found a strong correlation between housing prices and voter behavior. Voters in counties with strong real estate prices in the four years leading to an election were more likely to switch parties to support incumbents. In contrast, voters in counties with declining real estate prices were more likely to switch parties to support challengers.

The article said the correlation is strongest in the years closest to an election and in counties with the highest property values. Swing counties where the majority vote frequently switches between parties are particularly sensitive to changes in local real estate prices.

Will the current high price of real estate swing the election in favor of incumbent candidates? Jauregui said the effect on voting patterns is subtle, but in crucial swing counties, steady property values might make a difference.

“The empirical evidence indicates that housing market performance in swing counties could be more of a determining factor than previously thought,” Jauregui said.

The study is the first investigation of how property values affect voting, and it has attracted coverage from The American Prospect, Newsweek, Realtor, AOL, the UK-based website This Is Money and other media outlets.

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Representatives from each entity signed a memorandum of understanding in San Francisco during the Semicon West conference held July 9 through 11. The formal partnership memorandum will leverage the strengths of partners to bring new business and career opportunities to the Fresno region.

Semiconductors are essential components of electronic devices, and are used in many everyday applications including smartphones and cars. SEMI President and CEO Ajit Manocha said the semiconductor industry is expected to nearly double in annual revenue to $1 trillion around 2030.

“Fresno State is excited to be part of an unprecedented opportunity to diversify the economy of our region. As a core partner in this public-private effort, we will leverage our 100-plus years of legacy in engineering education, R&D, high-skilled workforce development and strong partnerships to support the development and growth of the semiconductor industry in the greater Fresno region,” said Fresno State President Saúl Jimenez-Sandoval. “We will make strategic investments in the Lyles College of Engineering, support innovation and create opportunities for our students leading to the much-needed, high-skilled workforce for the industry. We are grateful to SEMI CEO Ajit Manocha for his enthusiastic interest and commitment to support our region’s efforts.”

The Lyles College of Engineering’s departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Mechanical Engineering currently offer 32 undergraduate and graduate courses in semiconductors, advanced materials, circuits and systems, digital and analog electronics, VLSI design, computer architecture, embedded systems, computer arithmetic, cryptography, cybersecurity and digital signal processing. 

Lyles College students are prepared for careers in the semiconductor industry through hands-on experiences and use various hardware and software tools, including advanced materials fabrication and characterization instrumentation in their learning, research and projects.

“Lyles College of Engineering faculty conduct research in areas such as kilocore architectures, transceivers for wireless network on chip, porous silicon films, circuits and systems for biomedical applications, cryptographic hardware and electro-active and photoactive nanomaterials and composites,” said Dr. Ram Nunna, dean of the Lyles College. “Graduates of our program have had great success working in the semiconductor industry for more than four decades, and are leaders in their professions with significant accomplishments.”  

Fresno State will coordinate with community college partners and industry to help frame curriculum requirements in order to graduate students with qualifications and skills to enter the semiconductor industry workforce. 

The university will also focus on developing a recruitment plan with the community colleges to increase the pipeline of students majoring in engineering who wish to enroll at Fresno State.

Together, partners will participate in SEMI conferences, establish relationships with related companies and encourage broad industry, government and financial community engagement.

The partnership’s long-term goals include the establishment of a new high-tech business park in the Central Valley.

“This seems like a perfect time for our region to work on developing and growing a new industry sector in the region,” Nunna said. “Success will lead to opportunities for our students, graduates, faculty and the community at large, and will help strengthen the semiconductor supply chain in the U.S.”

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Panfilo Cerillo, a resident of south Fresno, grew up in the small neighborhood that overlooks the two centers. As a young child, he has vivid memories of walking to Orange Center Elementary School down the block from his home. Today, he said it’s no longer safe for his grandkids to do the same.

“The heavy duty trucks coming and going from these facilities not only threatens our safety, but the dirt and dust they kick up and the pollution they release into our air threatens our health,” Cerrillo said. “We take care of my grandchildren, and they’re not allowed to walk to school anymore because of all the traffic. My wife’s asthma gets worse every year, and now I have two grandchildren who are also impacted by the quality of air.”

Researchers with the Central Valley Health Policy Institute at Fresno State, along with the Leadership Counsel on Justice and Accountability, examined the economic, environmental and health impacts of south Fresnans for their latest data brief, “Fresno Economy and the Environment.” They discovered that, even with developing businesses in south Fresno, job growth in the neighborhoods that surround the Amazon and Ulta hubs has not improved. In fact, it has gotten worse.

“What we found is that for people who live and work in this area of south Fresno, jobs have decreased, where one would expect they would go up if these centers are actually hiring people who live in this area,” said Dr. Emanuel Alcala, assistant director of the Central Valley Health Policy Institute and lead investigator for the study. “It turns out, jobs are actually increasing for people who live outside of this community.”

Funded by the Kresge Foundation, the study compared the change in employment from two time frames, 2015 and 2020 – before the two centers were built and after.

In the study, a few key findings were revealed:

• The proportion of those who are both living and employed in these communities decreased by 75% (for those near the Ulta Distribution Center) and 12.2% (for those near the Amazon Fulfillment Center) within the past five years, in spite of the new job centers. 
• Diesel particulate matter emissions, from large trucks and vehicles coming and going from these centers (65% and 35%, respectively), are at much higher levels compared to north Fresno (26%). 
• Those living near the Amazon fulfillment center, in particular, are at the 87th percentile in low life expectancy, which pales in comparison to more affluent areas like north Fresno, where life expectancy is considerably higher (15th percentile). 
• Those living in close proximity to both centers tend to have greater travel barriers than residents in other parts of the city, as it relates to average cost and time spent commuting.

Researchers said these economic job barriers, combined with already low life expectancy and high pollution rates in the area, highlight a growing issue in the community.

“Public health research has demonstrated a clear connection between economic opportunity and health,” Alcala said. “Where economic opportunity exists, the health of the community thrives. Unfortunately, in this community, the opposite is true. Where economic opportunity is lacking, the health of the community is negatively impacted. Southwest Fresno is a community inundated with negative social and environmental circumstances that puts the community at great risk for poor health. It is imperative to introduce strategic and effective economic opportunities within these communities.”

The Central Valley Health Policy Institute has been studying socioeconomic and health inequities in south Fresno for over 10 years. In its study, “The Place”, it was determined that zip code affects life expectancy, and, in order to have access to a healthy lifestyle, sustainable jobs and clean air were necessary. South Fresno has historically been among the most disadvantaged communities in the city.

Ivanka Saunders, regional policy manager for the Fresno division of the Leadership Counsel on Justice and Accountability, and her team have worked closely with the Central Valley Health Policy Institute on these issues for years. To create a better economy for Fresno, Saunders said, all communities need to be considered. 

“For decades, south Fresno communities have been treated as a dumping ground for discriminatory patterns and practices of industrial pollution disguised as economic growth,” Saunders said. “Existing communities must have a voice in plans for their future and any plans that negatively impact their quality of life must have protections and benefits for residents built in. Future planning cannot continue to place heavy industrial uses up against homes, schools and other community amenities.”

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Dr. Julie B. Olson-Buchanan, dean of the Craig School of Business at Fresno State, was honored by the

The Humanitarian Award recognizes members who have enhanced the society through their research, work with organizations that address critical social issues, and their work to foster corporate social responsibility.

In announcing the award, the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology identified Olson-Buchanan as an intellectual leader in humanitarian work and psychology literature, whose work informs and inspires others to address societal issues through research. A transformative leader in the society’s U.N. initiative for more than six years, she worked to incorporate industrial-organizational psychology into the work of the U.N..

The society commended Olson-Buchanan’s leadership in guiding Fresno State to become a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact, the world’s largest corporate social responsibility initiative. The initiative promotes sustainable economic development through environmental stewardship, human rights, fair labor practices and anti-corruption efforts.

The society praised Olson-Buchanan’s longtime service as a board member and board chair of the Central California Food Bank, stating “[Olson-Buchanan] played a major leadership role in growing the food bank’s capacity by fourfold. Lives have been enhanced and arguably saved due to Julie’s collective work.”

Dr. Tara Behrend, president of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) and John Richard Butler II Endowed Professor at the School of Human Resources and Labor Relations at Michigan State University, said, “Dr. Olson-Buchanan has exemplified the values of generosity and service throughout her career. This award is a recognition of all she has done to improve the lives of others through her SIOP service. SIOP is grateful, and proud to count her amongst our distinguished members.”

Dr. Steven Rogelberg, chancellor’s professor at UNC Charlotte, nominated Olson-Buchanan for the award. “Julie is the consummate giver. She is dedicated to elevating others and the human condition. I am so grateful for her tremendous work,” he said. 

Olson-Buchanan has served as dean of the Craig School since 2021, after serving as interim dean of the school from 2019-21. She previously served as interim associate dean of the Craig School, interim associate dean of the Kremen School of Education and Human Development and chair of the Department of Management. She won Fresno State’s Provost’s Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2008 and received a lifetime service award from the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology  in 2011.

Olson-Buchanan’s internationally recognized research focuses on conflict/mistreatment in organizations, technology-based selection, humanitarian work psychology and work-life balance. She regularly publishes in top-ranked professional journals and has written and edited several books. She is a fellow of the Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology and the American Psychological Association. Since 2008, Olson-Buchanan has been the associate editor of the Journal of Business and Psychology.

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Her selection as part of the 2024 class was announced on May 7 by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Bryant’s winning project is titled “Polarizing the Process: Partisan Effects on Election Officials and Trust in Elections.”

“I am humbled and grateful to have been selected for this fellowship,” Bryant said. “I am proud to be one of the few scholars who have had the opportunity to represent the CSUs as a Carnegie Fellow. I will work hard to highlight the important and impactful research we do in the CSUs. The other scholars in this year’s cohort are all amazing experts in their field, many of whom I know as colleagues in the election science field, and I am honored to be in their company.”

Bryant said her research will examine how partisan polarization is impacting the administration of United States elections, and how it affects career bureaucrats who serve the public as local election officials.

“When we lose faith in the processes that secure our democracy, democracy itself is threatened,” Bryant said. “I deeply respect and admire the work of election officials and the impartial way most of them perform their duties. I hope my research can help explain why trust in their profession has declined so that we can rebuild trust in election officials, administrative processes and election outcomes.”

With this focus, the Andrew Carnegie Fellows Program marks the start of an effort to develop a body of research around today’s growing political polarization.

“We are immensely proud of Dr. Bryant and her ongoing leadership in the field of election studies,” said Fresno State President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval. “This prestigious award honors her impactful research and field work. Her work embodies the impressive impact of political scientists in maintaining and promoting our democratic system. I am so proud that with Dr. Bryant’s work, Fresno State is highlighted on a national level.”

More than 360 applicants submitted a proposal – a record high for the program. Selection criteria prioritized the originality and promise of the research, its potential impact on the field and the applicant’s plans for communicating findings to a broad audience. 

“This year marks the first time the jury was asked to assess proposals addressing a single topic — the pervasive issue of political polarization as characterized by threats to free speech, the decline of civil discourse, disagreement over basic facts and a lack of mutual understanding and collaboration,” said John J. DeGioia, chair of the jury and president of Georgetown University. He noted with gratitude the contributions of long-standing juror Jared L. Cohon, president emeritus of Carnegie Mellon University, who died unexpectedly in March. 

Of the 28 fellows selected, 11 are employed by state universities (including two from California State University campuses), 16 are employed by private universities and one is a journalist.

The award is for a period of up to two years and the anticipated result is generally a book or major study. Congressional testimony by past fellows has addressed topics such as social media and privacy protections, transnational crime, governmental responses to pandemics and college affordability. Fellows have received honors including a Nobel Prize and a National Book Award.

Founded in 2015, the Andrew Carnegie Fellows Program is among the most generous stipends of its kind provided for research in the humanities and social sciences. To date, the corporation has named more than 270 fellows, representing a philanthropic investment of more than $54 million.

The Andrew Carnegie Fellows Program is a continuation of the mission of Carnegie Corporation of New York, as founded by Andrew Carnegie in 1911, to promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding.

The public may follow the conversation at #CarnegieFellows via Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X (Twitter).

Class of 2024

Delia S. Baldassarri, New York University

David Broockman, University of California, Berkeley

Lisa A. Bryant, Fresno State

Joshua D. Clinton, Vanderbilt University

Johanna Dunaway, Syracuse University Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship

Bernard L. Fraga, Emory University

D. Sunshine Hillygus, Duke University

Taeku Lee, Harvard University

Brett L. M. Levy, University at Albany, State University of New York 

Neil Malhotra, Stanford Graduate School of Business

Lilliana Mason, Johns Hopkins University

Angie Maxwell, University of Arkansas

Jennifer McCoy, Georgia State University

Elizabeth McKenna, Harvard Kennedy School

Neil A. O’Brian, University of Oregon

Molly Offer-Westort, University of Chicago

Julianna Pacheco, University of Iowa

Natalia Mehlman Petrzela, The New School

Markus Prior, Princeton University

Brian F. Schaffner, Tufts University
Ananya Sen, Carnegie Mellon University

Seema Sohi, University of Colorado Boulder

Mara Suttmann-Lea, Connecticut College

Chris Tausanovitch, University of California, Los Angeles

Dara M. Wald, Texas A&M University

Elise Wang, California State University, Fullerton

David N. Wasserman, The Cook Political Report

Hajar Yazdiha, University of Southern California

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The topic is a long way from Perez’s original major in art, but it was an art class that got her interested in science. The art teacher gave her a book that explored the history and uses of psychedelics, sparking an interest that led her to switch majors to biology with an interest in neuroscience. 

On Wednesday, April 3, Perez will present her findings in her first poster presentation at the 45th annual Central California Research Symposium, the highlight event of Fresno State’s Research Week happening April 2 to 5. The weeklong celebration, now in its second year, will include workshops, panel discussions and keynote speakers.

“I love hearing people’s stories and the research they do and how interested they are because I wasn’t around that kind of environment,” Perez said. 

She credits psychology professor Dr. Martin Shapiro, who she is working with on this project, and others for helping her realize her potential in science. 

“Participating in CCRS is a way of showing myself that despite my background, despite being a woman of color, I do have a place and that place is welcoming and that place is supportive because there are people like my mentors who have made a connection with me,” Perez said.

This year’s symposium will feature more than 250 student research presentations — the most ever since 2018. Students from all disciplines will give oral and poster presentations in the Resnick Student Union. The symposium allows students and faculty to share their recent research and to encourage research activity in the Central Valley. 

For five consecutive years, Fresno State has set funding records for tens of millions of dollars in grants and awards to support research. The university received $70.7 million during the 2022-23 academic year. The university also has an R2 designation as a “Doctoral University — High Research Activity” by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education, highlighting a significant commitment to growing research activities.

“Fresno State’s Research Week symbolizes the apex of scholarly exploration and imaginative collaboration cultivated by our devoted faculty, staff, and both graduate and undergraduate students,” said Dr. Joy Goto, interim dean of the Division of Research and Graduate Studies. “These endeavors illuminate our collective journey within the communities we serve, inspiring transformative collaboration that will extend far into the future.”

Here is a list of events during Research Week:

Tuesday, April 2

9:30 – 11:30 a.m. JARC Research Showcase on the first-floor interactive area of the Jordan Agricultural Research Center (311 N. Woodrow Ave.). Learn about what goes on in JARC, how it can be a resource and connect with researchers. Topics include hyperspectral imaging in grapevines, groundwater quality and contamination, high-protein ice cream, feasibility and production of whey beer, nutrition studies and salinity tolerance of crops. 

1 – 2 p.m. Hear from a panel of experts to Learn about How to Get Involved with Research on Campus in the Ellipse Gallery in the Fresno State Library. The experts include Lilia De La Cerda, director for the Center for Access to Science for All; Dr. Morgan Hawker, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry; Dr. Katy Tarrant, associate professor of animal science and agricultural education; and Dr. Wei Wu, professor of construction management. 

2:30 – 3:30 p.m. Guest speaker and former Fresno State adjunct professor Dr. John Freeman will speak about “The Molecular Biology of Microbial Endophytes used for Sustainable Agriculture and Environmental Remediation” in the Ellipse Gallery in the Library. Freeman is chief science officer and co-founder of Intrinsyx Bio. He recently developed a series of naturally occurring, non-GMO, native tree endophyte micro-organism-based product formulations for use in fields. 

Wednesday, April 3

8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. The 45th annual Central California Research Symposium will be held in the Resnick Student Union. More than 250 presenters will give 12-minute oral presentations and poster presentations on a diverse range of projects. 

Thursday, April 4

9:30 – 11 a.m. Four graduate students from the University of California, Davis will share their stories about research, future plans and more in a panel discussion held on the second floor of the Library, room 2206. 

1 – 3 p.m. The Three-Minute Thesis, known as 3MT, is a three-minute graduate student presentation using one slide to showcase research. The event will be held in the Library, room 2206.

3 – 7 p.m. The 2024 HealthTech Horizon Symposium, hosted by the College of Health and Human Services and the Department of Physical Therapy, will be held at the University Business Center. Topics include understanding digital transformation in health care delivery, exploring innovative solutions in health care technology, analyzing challenges in implementing digital solutions, charting the future of health care delivery, and enhancing digital literacy for health care professionals.

Friday, April 5

10 – 11 a.m. Keynote speaker Dr. Francesca Hopkins, assistant professor of climate change and sustainability at the University of California, Riverside, will speak in the Ellipse Gallery in the Library. Hopkins studies the effects of human activities on the global carbon cycle from an interdisciplinary earth system science perspective, with particular interest in greenhouse gas emissions in urban and agricultural environments.

11 a.m. – noon Join this Zoom presentation to learn about How to Launch your Career in the Biotech Industry. Topics include working with recruiters, resume dos and don’ts, how to apply to jobs, presenting yourself professionally, pre and post interview preparations and the types of roles available in the biotech industry. 

3:30 – 5 p.m. A celebration of Outstanding Faculty Publications will be held in the Ellipse Gallery balcony in the Library with a reception at 3:30 p.m. followed by a short program at 4 p.m.

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“This study brought real-world challenges to the classroom for students and marked a significant step toward addressing the critical issue of groundwater overdraft in the San Joaquin Valley,” said Laura Ramos, interim director of the California Water Institute – Research and Education Division.

Historically, groundwater in the region has been overdrafted for agricultural, residential, and industrial purposes, leading to severe consequences for communities facing the depletion of groundwater quality and quantity. Disadvantaged communities dependent on domestic wells have endured the brunt of these negative effects.

Through geospatial analysis, potential sites for groundwater recharge were identified within the vicinity of disadvantaged communities in the Fresno County region currently experiencing groundwater quality and quantity issues. The analysis identified four potential locations for the design and construction of recharge basins near or in the cities of Kerman, Raisin City, Caruthers and Laton. 

This was followed by extensive data gathering and analysis by two groups of civil engineering students who determined the representative sites’ financial and technical feasibility. Each site underwent a thorough evaluation of existing conditions including groundwater quality, soil conditions, current land use, availability of surface water supply, recharge potential, construction costs, ease of maintenance and operation and community benefit.

“Giving students these kinds of hands-on experiences while also identifying long-term climate change adaptation strategies for sustainable groundwater levels align with our division’s goals,” Ramos said. “The identification of potential recharge sites supplies one more tool toward providing sustainable water management solutions for disadvantaged communities.”

If further investigated, the positive implications of this study could be monumental for disadvantaged communities in the San Joaquin Valley that are facing a reduction in groundwater levels.

In addition to working with Fresno State students and faculty, the feasibility study was conducted in collaboration with several local agencies. 

“Projects like these are not possible without financial support, so we are very thankful to Bank of California, formally Pacific Western Bank, for seeing the advantage of providing this experience to students and the potential benefit to communities in Fresno County,” Ramos added.

(Story by Julissa Zavala, California Water Institute)

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The report examines the effectiveness and cost-efficiency of shallow subsurface artificial groundwater recharge in comparison to traditional groundwater recharge basins. The research, conducted at the Fresno State farm in 2021-22, indicates that this method outperforms traditional recharge basins in both efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Cordie Qualle, the lead researcher, stated, “The research indicates that the [shallow subsurface artificial groundwater recharge] system does not have the evaporation losses which occur with recharge basins and is approximately six- to eight-times less expensive to implement than a recharge basin of the same size.”

California’s water supply consists of both surface water as well as groundwater and supports agricultural and municipal uses. Groundwater supplies about 41% of the state’s average annual water use and is the sole source of clean, affordable water for many farms, communities and individual households.

Over the years, overuse of groundwater caused by prolonged and cyclic droughts has led to a decline in both quality and quantity of groundwater. The consequences of this include the depletion of water tables — resulting in domestic, municipal and agricultural wells going dry. 

In response to these challenges, the California legislature enacted the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act in 2014 to halt groundwater overdraft. The act is intended to reduce groundwater pumping and increase groundwater recharge. Technologies that can accomplish the goal include traditional recharge basins, flood managed aquifer recharge and shallow subsurface artificial groundwater recharge.

A shallow subsurface artificial groundwater recharge system is a leach line system that puts clean water into the groundwater table. It consists of a surface water source, a connection from that source to a pump system, a filtration system, a flow meter, a delivery pipeline, a standpipe and a distribution pipeline consisting of solid wall header pipes and perforated recharge pipes. 

The perforated pipes release the recharge water into the soil at a depth of six to 12 feet below the ground surface. From there, it percolates through the intervening soil layers into the groundwater table using the soil to further treat the water.

“The important reasons for implementing [shallow subsurface artificial groundwater recharge] are that it is 100% efficient in delivering recharge water; it does not interrupt farming operations when applying recharge water; it is easily integrated with existing drip irrigation systems; it can be implemented over large areas of suitable land; and does not leach legacy nitrates, pesticides, or herbicides into the groundwater.”

“The report’s insights will be crucial for water resource managers and other stakeholders as they move forward in implementing innovative and effective strategies for managing the state’s water resources,” said Laura Ramos, interim director of the Research and Education Division of the California Water Institute. “It will provide one more option in the toolbox for water managers.”

This research was funded by the California State University Agricultural Research Institute, private donations and contributors including Lidco, Inc. and Grundfos Pumps. The research team consisted of Qualle, Gabriella Bonilla, Mary Church, Stephanie Bartel, Andrew Guthrie and Sam Hawley.

(Story by Julissa Zavala, California Water Institute)

Photo caption: 
Fresno State retired engineering faculty Cordie Qualle discusses an aquifer groundwater recharge project he helped design at the location site next to a campus almond orchard with Bill Green, education specialist for the Fresno State Center for Irrigation Technology. Photo by Geoff Thurner

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According to the report, the success of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act relies on accelerating farmland repurposing efforts. This includes alternative land uses like solar development, water-limited cropping, water-efficient new housing, habitat restoration and recharge basins.

The report also highlights the importance of investing in water infrastructure to expand recharge efforts.

Dedicated recharge basins could bring multiple benefits, like maximizing flood waters in wet years, raising groundwater levels beneath groundwater-dependent disadvantaged communities, and possibly improving water quality, according to Fresno State water experts.

California Governor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-10-23 in August to reduce the risks of catastrophic flooding in the San Joaquin River and its tributaries, the Tule Lake Basin and its tributaries (including the Kings River, Tule River and Kern River) and on the Central Coast.

The order is intended to streamline the repair or replacement of levees and weirs and restore channel capacity and other flood-control infrastructure. The governor has issued several executive orders this year to address drought conditions and mitigate flooding after a series of winter storm events pummeled the state.

Laura Ramos, interim director of the California Water Institute’s Research and Education Division, said the repair and restoration of existing conveyance and flood control infrastructure is one of many steps the state needs to take to move forward with the report’s takeaway on recharge basins.

“In order to do more recharge, infrastructure repair and restoration is absolutely needed, but it’s not the only thing that’s needed,” Ramos said. “We need to do more because climate science is telling us that flooding is going to continue happening and it’s going to get worse, and drought will continue to happen and get worse.”

Ramos and Cordie Qualle, a lecturer in the Lyles College of Engineering at Fresno State, have advocated for groundwater recharge as one solution to reduce flood damage and prepare for drought. Ramos said groundwater recharge has typically been managed by a county, city or special district in the past, which may not allow officials to take advantage of future floods for recharge. Her suggested solution is to focus on managing recharge on a regional basis moving forward.

To create a long-term regional effort to capture flood water for recharge, Ramos said there needs to be a regional groundwater recharge management team to coordinate the mapping of floodwater sources and desirable groundwater recharge locations, and to coordinate the implementation of groundwater recharge facilities at those locations. She added that infrastructure is required to move the floodwater to the recharge facilities.

Dr. Thomas Holyoke, professor of political science at Fresno State, said the regional management team could also be responsible for obtaining rights to flood water and other excess water not otherwise claimed under the state’s water rights system, as well as for coordinating the discharge of the floodwater to the developed recharge facilities. He suggests the state’s Water Resources Control Board may want to refine its management of existing surface water rights to identify any additional unclaimed water the state can use for groundwater recharge.

“Diverting excess runoff to groundwater recharge sites throughout the region in a coordinated manner will diminish flood peaks, thereby reducing damage to communities and increasing groundwater levels, which will sustain domestic and agricultural uses during droughts,” Qualle said.

Another piece of the puzzle needs to be educating farmers, city managers, irrigation districts and water districts about how to take flood water for recharge, Ramos said, as well as educating residents on groundwater recharge. Residents in rural areas and disadvantaged communities dependent on domestic wells should be targeted, since they are usually the first affected by droughts and flooding, she said.

“There needs to be an effort to be truly regionwide and not in geographical silos,” she said.

(Story by Julissa Zavala, California Water Institute)

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