Walter Swain, a retired U.S. Geological Survey scientist, walks along the dry, salt-encrusted stream bed of Panoche Creek in June. For eons storm runoff washed salts, selenium and boron into the creek, making Westlands California’s selenium hot spot. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
In 1960, President Eisenhower signed legislation expanding the Central Valley Project to the west side of the San Joaquin Valley. The San Luis Reservoir, which stores water for the Westlands Water District, was built as part of that expansion. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
A coyote’s paw print along the dry, salt-encrusted stream bed of Panoche Creek. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
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Even in the drought, almond and pistachio groves and fields of melons, tomatoes and onions go on and on in the Westlands Water District. With an unprecedented zero allocation of federal water this year, growers kept two-thirds of the district green by pumping groundwater and buying supplies. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Standing on a retired Westlands Water District parcel, Daniel Kim reflects the sun off his iPad in June. His company, Anthem Group, hopes to develop a solar project on the land that was once farmed. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Seed heads from an already harvested onion field bloom in the west San Joaquin Valley in June. Since 1993, Westlands has gotten its full federal water allotment only three times. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Bags of recently harvested onions line Westlands fields. Growers served by the district boast that they have adjusted to shrinking supplies by adopting highly efficient irrigation practices. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
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After the discovery of deformities in waterfowl nesting at the Kesterson National Wildlife Refuge, the San Luis Drain was closed in the 1980s. Today, it’s choked with dirt and matted weeds and posted with fading “No Swimming” signs. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Since the San Luis Drain was closed, growers have blended the area’s low-quality groundwater with imported supplies and used it for irrigation. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Water drips from a leaking irrigation pipe near Mendota in the western San Joaquin Valley. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
The sun sets behind the Coast Range that borders the west side of the San Joaquin Valley. The mountains are the source of selenium and salts that taint groundwater and soils in the Westlands Water District. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
