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Latest News
- September 29, 2022
• by Lois Henry
In our continuing series, we head upstream with Kern River Watermaster Mark Mulkay for a quick look at how some of the structures and obligations on the river above the San Joaquin Valley influence “the law of the river.” NEXT: The lower river – once the river hits the valley, it’s spliced and diced through…
- September 29, 2022
• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water
Though $40 million was added to the state’s farmland retirement pot, some worry it won’t be nearly enough. Gov. Gavin Newsom authorized the funding Tuesday night to be added to the state’s new Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program. The program, initially funded with $50 million in 2021, pays for farmland to be taken out of production…
- September 27, 2022
• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water
There will be a penalty for over pumping groundwater in Madera County, but it won’t be as painful as it could have been. That was the upshot from a nearly three-hour – sometimes fiery – meeting on Tuesday of the Madera County Board of Supervisors. Supervisors opted for a penalty of $100 per acre foot…
- September 27, 2022
• by Lois Henry
In a fast-paced trip through the evolution of California’s water rights, attorney Valerie Kincaid explained how the system has gone from the “wild, wild west” to one pervaded by ever greater government creep. By expanding its authorities under what had been thought of as several limited court decisions, state government is now essentially dictating operations…
- September 23, 2022
• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water
Fear and confusion over a new groundwater monitoring technology pushed back the “penalty phase” of Madera County’s attempt to get a handle on its pumping problem. The Madera County Board of Supervisors was supposed to have voted on penalties for growers who pump more than they’re allowed at its Sept. 13 meeting. But after three…
- September 22, 2022
• by Jesse Vad and Lois Henry, SJV Water
The state kicked Madera County groundwater plans back for a redo on Thursday, noting, in particular, that they had set water levels so low it could endanger hundreds of domestic wells. The plans also all but ignored ongoing damage to roads, bridges and canals caused by sinking land, subsidence, opting mostly to “monitor” the situation….
- September 21, 2022
• by Lois Henry
Several public interest groups have issued a direct challenge to Bakersfield over the Kern River alleging the city has not lived up to its responsibilities to address the public trust. Water Audit California, an advocacy group based in Napa, sent a letter to the Bakersfield Water Resources Department July 27 demanding the city conduct a…
- September 20, 2022
• by Lois Henry
This is the fourth video in our series explaining how the Kern River operates, who owns it and where its waters go. In this video, we look at the “intertie,” which marks the end of the river as it meets the California Aqueduct west of Bakersfield. This highly unassuming looking piece of infrastructure was built…
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Maven’s Notebook is an excellent daily accounting of California water happenings statewide.