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In dry California, salty water creeps into key waterways

A boat passes a pump used to draw irrigation water from the Sacramento River for the land owned by farmer Al Medvitz in Rio Vista, Calif., on Monday, July 25, 2022. In dry winters like the one California just had, less fresh water flows down from the mountains into the Sacramento River. Medvitz wants approval from the state to build a small reservoir on the property to store fresh water for use in dry times. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Walter Fernandez moves irrigation pipes on an alfalfa field belonging to Al Medvitz in Rio Vista, Calif., on Monday, July 25, 2022. Medvitz wants approval from the state to build a small reservoir on the property to store fresh water for use in dry times. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) A water desalination plant is under construction in Antioch, Calif., Thursday, July 21, 2022. The plant will be the state's first inland desalination plant for brackish surface water, said John Samuelson, the city’s director of public works. (AP Photo/Terry Chea) Construction is underway for intake pipes to draw water from the San Joaquin River for a water desalination plant in Antioch Calif., Thursday, July 21, 2022. The plant will be the state's first inland desalination plant for brackish surface water, said John Samuelson, the city’s director of public works. (AP Photo/Terry Chea) Salt is left on the walls of an irrigation canal on Bobby Costa’s cucumber farm near Tracy, Calif., on Thursday, July 21, 2022. In dry winters like the one California just had, saltier water from the Pacific Ocean intrudes further into rivers used for farming and drinking. “We just try to hang on and hope the water quality gets better," said Costa, who has seen his cucumber yields go down by 25% this year compared to a wetter year. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) An emergency drought barrier that protects against saltwater intrusion, built by the California Department of Water Resources, stretches across the West False River in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta near Oakley, Calif., Thursday, July 21, 2022. It was supposed to be only temporary, but plans to remove the barrier last fall were scrapped due to dry conditions. Officials still hope to take it out this November. (AP Photo/Terry Chea) A boat approaches the temporary emergency drought barrier built by the California Department of Water Resources on West False River near Oakley Calif., on Monday, July 21, 2022. Plans to remove the barrier last fall were scrapped due to dry conditions. It protects against saltwater getting into the state’s water supply. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Well water flows from pumps into a canal that will be used to irrigate a vineyard run by Charlie Hamilton, on Monday, July 25, 2022. Hamilton is irrigating with the well water because water from the Sacramento River has become too salty to use on his grapes. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Charlie Hamilton pauses as he discusses the problem of irrigating his vineyard due to saltwater intrusion, near Rio Vista, Calif., on Monday, July 25, 2022. Hamilton hasn't irrigated his vineyards with water from the Sacramento River since early May, even though it flows just yards from his crop. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Grapes grow in the vineyard of Charlie Hamilton, that sits along the Sacramento River near Rio Vista, Calif., on Monday, July 25, 2022. Hamilton hasn't irrigated his vineyards with water from the Sacramento River since early May, even though it flows just yards from his crop because it's too salty for his grapes. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Al Medvitz, who farms alfalfa and other crops, looks out over Sacramento River from a hill on his land near Rio Vista, Calif., on Monday, July 25, 2022. In dry winters like the one California just had, less fresh water flows down from the mountains into the Sacramento River, the state's largest. Medvitz wants approval from the state to build a small reservoir on the property to store fresh water for use in dry times. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)