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Last year’s groundwater recharge numbers were impressive but what about this year?
This current, remarkably average water year – not last year’s barn burner – will be the true test to see how well groundwater agencies are rejuvenating the San Joaquin Valley’s withered aquifers, longtime water managers say. Yes, 2023’s historic wet year did a lot to help...
Groundwater agency sues Delano over Niagara water bottling plant
Concerns over how a newly built water bottling plant will impact the already over drafted aquifer prompted the Southern San Joaquin Municipal Utility District to sue the City of Delano last month. The district is asking that approvals for the Niagara water bottling plant be set aside and, ultimately, that...
Rehearing on Kern River rejected by appellate court. Next step could be the California Supreme Court
The 5th District Court of Appeal denied a petition Friday to rehear the court’s earlier decision to put a hold on a Kern County court’s order that had required the City of Bakersfield keep enough water in the Kern River for fish to survive. Both plaintiffs in the...
Cover crops could enhance groundwater recharge – a lot – but agencies aren’t embracing the concept
Cover crops could be an important tool in groundwater management but are being unintentionally disincentivized by groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs,) according to a new study. GSAs haven’t done enough analysis or incentivization of cover crops, according to authors of the study. In fact, the study suggests some GSAs are putting...
Dana Munn, longtime water engineer and former Kern River Watermaster, dies at 66
The Kern County water world was deeply saddened to learn that Dana Munn, a fixture in local water for decades, died May 8 after a three-year battle with brain cancer. He was 66. Munn was extremely well regarded among water managers and engineers both at the local and national levels...
MEETING NOTES: North Kern concerned the subbasin’s revamped groundwater plan – now seven plans – won’t pass muster with the state
Meeting: North Kern Water Storage District board of directors. Main topic: Submission of a revamped groundwater sustainability plan for the Kern subbasin to the state Water Resources Control Board to avoid probation. Background: Two previous groundwater plans for the Kern subbasin were rejected by the state as inadequate to protect...
Kings County Farm Bureau blames one local water board for state intervention; demands heads roll
The fallout and recriminations in Kings County continue over the state Water Resources Control Board’s historic decision to place the Tulare Lake subbasin on probation for failing to come up with a cohesive plan to protect the region’s groundwater. The Kings County Farm Bureau, which has already sued...
MEETING NOTES: Accusations of secrecy, slander and horse “pucky,” pervade high desert groundwater discussions
Meeting: Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority board of directors. First topic: Reassessment of importing water from Little Lake, an area north of the Indian Wells Valley in Inyo County. Background: The Indian Wells Valley is a critically overdrafted basin in eastern Kern County. Its residents and businesses require 28,000 acre...
Sinking land, dry wells and accusations are plentiful in Kings County – but no solutions in sight
Relations among Kings County groundwater entities have gone from bad to worse after the state put the region on probation for its inability to come up with a cohesive plan to curb furious overpumping that has sunk huge swaths of land, dried up wells and caused other problems. After a...
Kings County Farm Bureau sues state for placing the region on probation because of groundwater woes
The Kings County Farm Bureau and two of its farmer members have filed suit against the state Water Resources Control Board, claiming the board exceeded its jurisdiction when it placed the Tulare Lake groundwater subbasin on probation April 16. A writ of mandate was filed May 15 in Kings County...
Report shows inflation has boosted the delta tunnel cost to $20 billion – or more
The controversial Delta Conveyance Project will cost $20.1 billion according to a new cost-benefit analysis released by the state on Thursday. That’s up from the previous cost projection of $16 billion. Almost all of that increase is because of inflation, said David Sunding, emeritus professor at UC Berkeley, who...
MEETING NOTES: More Kern water districts approve new groundwater plan in hopes of avoiding state intervention
Arvin-Edison Water Storage District Agenda: CLICK HERE. Major topic: Wheeler Ridge-Maricopa Water Storage District, Arvin-Edison Water Storage District, and Shafter-Wasco Irrigation District all met this week to pass five motions in relation to a new Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) that water managers in the Kern subbasin hope to submit to the state Water Resources Control Board staff by May 28.
Fresno water district plans to use a $5 million federal grant to sink more water
Fresno Irrigation District (FID) received $5 million from the federal government for recharge projects. It’s the largest grant FID has ever received and staff were overjoyed when they heard the news. “We were elated,” said Bill Stretch, general manager of FID. “That’s a huge shot in the arm for...
Kern agencies prepare to submit third groundwater plan in hopes it’s the charm that wards off state pumping takeover
In an effort to avoid the fate of their neighbors to the north, Kern County water managers are putting the finishing touches on a new groundwater plan they hope will stave off probation in order to keep state bureaucrats from taking over local pumping. The county’s 20 groundwater agency boards...
Kern River combatants sent to their respective corners – for now
Further legal action on the Kern River was put on pause Thursday morning following an order by the 5th District Court of Appeal that stayed a local injunction mandating enough water be kept in the river for fish. Kern County Superior Court Judge Gregory Pulskamp said the 5th District’s order...
Third San Joaquin Valley groundwater basin recommended for state probation
Subsidence has reared its head again as a key factor cited by state Water Resources Control Board staff for recommending that the Kaweah groundwater subbasin be placed on probation – the first step toward possible state takeover of groundwater pumping. The recommendation was contained in a draft report released...
Friant lawsuit over sinking canal altered but moving forward
One of multiple charges in a lawsuit that pins blame for the perpetually sinking Friant-Kern Canal on a single Tulare County groundwater agency was recently removed. The Eastern Tule Groundwater Sustainability Agency (ETGSA) hailed the move as vindication. But plaintiffs, the Friant Water Authority and Arvin-Edison Water Storage District, said the change was simply meant to narrow the complaint in order to get faster action against Eastern Tule.
Appellate court stymies mandated fish flows in Kern River. But it won’t go dry – yet
The 5th District Court of Appeal issued an order Friday that stayed the injunction requiring the City of Bakersfield to keep enough water in the Kern River to support fish. That means the preliminary injunction issued by Kern County Superior Court Judge Gregory Pulskamp last fall ordering Bakersfield to keep the river flowing from about Hart Park to the McClung weir west of Allen Road is now null and void.
Last chance for residents to comment in writing on the possibility of probation for the Tule subbasin
Residents in southern Tulare County have a final chance to share their thoughts in writing with the state Water Resources Control Board on whether the region should go on groundwater probation. But they need to get their comments to the board by noon May 7. Water Board staff is recommending...
Regulators took aim at two water contaminants recently. But do regs go far enough or target the right players?
Water systems will need to comply with new rules on contaminants at the state and federal levels after two regulations were approved this month. That could bring challenging costs to water providers. And still, advocates say protections aren’t good enough. On April 17, the state Water Resources Control Board...
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