1. Turning off wells during critical dry periods does very little to increase streamflow at Foster Park. The Agency presented results from its interconnected surface water (ISW) depletion modeling study, which found that during the driest, most critical periods, less than ~10% of curtailed pumping arrives as streamflow at Foster Park. The aquifer loses saturated thickness as it dries out—particularly near Santa Ana Boulevard where it can go completely dry—effectively "pinching off" the underground pipe that moves water downstream. Even if all non-City wells were shut off, the model shows it would not prevent flows from dropping to critically low levels; it would only shorten the duration of those low-flow events.
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