AP PHOTOS: Canals carry precious water across vast California landscape

By The Associated Press
Updated: March 14, 2025 - 6:38 AM
Published: March 14, 2025 - 3:53 AM
Herndon Canal runs through farmland at dusk in Fresno, Calif., Friday, March 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Jae C. Hong]

FRESNO, Calif. (AP) — A vast network of dams and canals run by the state and federal governments carries water to farmers and cities across California.

In Fresno County, the zigzagging Friant-Kern Canal, diverting water from Millerton Lake, snakes past small villages as it carries vital supplies to farms and communities. Along the way, farmers have erected signs along their fields, demanding more water and condemning Gov. Gavin Newsom for his water management policies.

The state’s demand for water and how to share it remains the subject of fierce political debate, with President Donald Trump pledging to send more to farmers.

Farther south, the San Luis Canal stretches alongside the vast farmland and disappears into the horizon toward Los Angeles as it merges with the California Aqueduct.

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