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In the series “Aquifer at Risk,” The Desert Sun revealed significant declines in groundwater levels in the Palm Springs area and exposed how water agencies in the California desert haven't adequately addressed the problem of falling water tables. Through an analysis of water agencies' records, the newspaper found that the aquifer's levels have plummeted over the years despite imported flows of water - a situation that poses serious long-term risks for an area that has sold itself as a desert oasis for tourists and retirees. The series examined the causes and impacts of groundwater depletion in California, and pinpointed groundwater pumping by golf courses as a major contributor to the problem in the Coachella Valley. The series prompted the area's largest water district to make a major policy shift, led to the formation of a golf water conservation task force, and magnified concerns that California's approach to managing groundwater has serious flaws.