Fernandez-Bou Angel Santiago, Rodríguez-Flores José M, Guzman Alexander, Ortiz-Partida J Pablo, Classen-Rodriguez Leticia M, Sánchez-Pérez Pedro A, Valero-Fandiño Jorge, Pells Chantelise, Flores-Landeros Humberto, Sandoval-Solís Samuel, Characklis Gregory W, Harmon Thomas C, McCullough Michael, Medellín-Azuara Josué
Water Systems Management Group, University of California Merced, 5200 North Lake Rd., Merced, CA 95343, USA; Sierra Nevada Research Institute, University of California Merced, Merced, CA 95343, USA; Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of California Merced, Merced, CA 95343, USA; SocioEnvironmental and Education Network, SEEN (seen.team, 4 Venir Inc.), Merced, CA 95340, USA.
Water Systems Management Group, University of California Merced, 5200 North Lake Rd., Merced, CA 95343, USA; SocioEnvironmental and Education Network, SEEN (seen.team, 4 Venir Inc.), Merced, CA 95340, USA; Environmental Systems Graduate Program, University of California Merced, Merced, CA 95343, USA.
Sci Total Environ. 2023 Feb 1;858(Pt 3):159963. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159963. Epub 2022 Nov 5.
Low-income, rural frontline communities of California's Central Valley experience environmental and socioeconomic injustice, water insecurity, extremely poor air quality, and lack of fundamental infrastructure (sewage, green areas, health services), which makes them less resilient. Many communities depend financially on agriculture, while water scarcity and associated policy may trigger farmland retirement further hindering socioeconomic opportunities. Here we propose a multi-benefit framework to repurpose cropland in buffers inside and around (400-m and 1600-m buffers) 154 rural disadvantaged communities of the Central Valley to promote socioeconomic opportunities, environmental benefits, and business diversification. We estimate the potential for (1) reductions in water and pesticide use, nitrogen leaching, and nitrogen gas emissions, (2) managed aquifer recharge, and (3) economic and employment impacts associated with clean industries and solar energy. Retiring cropland within 1600-m buffers can result in reductions in water use of 2.18 km/year, nitrate leaching into local aquifers of 105,500 t/year, greenhouse gas emissions of 2,232,000 t CO-equivalent/year, and 5388 t pesticides/year, with accompanying losses in agricultural revenue of US$4213 million/year and employment of 25,682 positions. Buffer repurposing investments of US$27 million/year per community for ten years show potential to generate US$101 million/year per community (total US$15,578 million/year) for 30 years and 407 new jobs/year (total 62,697 jobs/year) paying 67 % more than prior farmworker jobs. In the San Joaquin Valley (southern Central Valley), where groundwater overdraft averages 2.3 km/year, potential water use reduction is 1.8 km/year. We have identified 99 communities with surficial soils adequate for aquifer recharge and canals/rivers within 1600 m. This demonstrates the potential of managed aquifer recharge in buffered zones to substantially reduce overdraft. The buffers framework shows that well-planned land repurposing near disadvantaged communities can create multiple benefits for farmers and industry stakeholders, while improving quality of life in disadvantaged communities and producing positive externalities for society.
加利福尼亚中央谷地的低收入农村一线社区面临环境和社会经济不公正、水资源不安全、空气质量极差以及缺乏基本基础设施（污水处理、绿地、医疗服务）等问题，这使得它们的复原力较弱。许多社区在经济上依赖农业，而水资源短缺及相关政策可能导致农田休耕，进一步阻碍社会经济机会。在此，我们提出一个多效益框架，将中央谷地154个农村弱势社区内部及周边（400米和1600米缓冲区）的农田改作他用，以促进社会经济机会、环境效益和商业多元化。我们估算了以下几方面的潜力：（1）减少用水、农药使用、氮素淋失和氮气排放；（2）进行地下水人工回灌；（3）与清洁产业和太阳能相关的经济和就业影响。在1600米缓冲区内休耕农田，每年可减少用水量2.18立方千米，减少渗入当地含水层的硝酸盐105500吨/年，减少温室气体排放223.2万吨二氧化碳当量/年，减少农药使用5388吨/年，同时每年农业收入损失4.213亿美元，减少就业岗位256,82个。每个社区连续十年每年投入2700万美元用于缓冲区用途重新规划，显示出在30年内每个社区每年有潜力产生1.01亿美元（总计每年155.78亿美元），每年新增407个就业岗位（总计每年62,967个岗位），这些岗位的薪资比之前的农场工人岗位高出67%。在圣华金谷（中央谷地南部），地下水超采平均每年2.3立方千米，潜在的用水量减少量为每年1.8立方千米。我们已确定99个社区的表层土壤适合进行地下水人工回灌，且在1600米范围内有运河/河流。这表明缓冲区内进行地下水人工回灌有潜力大幅减少超采量。缓冲区框架表明，在弱势社区附近精心规划土地用途重新规划可为农民和产业利益相关者带来多重效益，同时改善弱势社区的生活质量，并为社会产生积极的外部效应。
