NEWS

No-nonsense Kern water leader dies at 67

February 6, 2020

• by Lois Henry

Dennis Mullins led the first attempt to measure Kern groundwater under new state law. For long-time local attorney Dennis Mullins, life was a banquet of knowledge and one of his greatest joys was filling himself up so he could help others. He was well-known for his ability to pare down and communicate complex issues, often…

Groundwater

Lawsuit aims to save desert ag

February 6, 2020

• by Lois Henry

Water managers trying to bring groundwater into balance in the severely overdrafted Indian Wells Valley basin near Ridgecrest laid out a draft plan last month that would essentially mean the end of large-scale agriculture in that desert region.Mojave Pistachios Complaint “We are giving options to (ag) pumpers so they understand they have a limited future…

Groundwater

SJV Water doin’ someSGMA talk on KGET Ch. 17

January 29, 2020

• by Lois Henry

KGET Ch. 17 Anchor Jim Scott in Bakersfield invited SJV Water back for more water talk this week. The show, Kern County In Depth, airs THIS Saturday (Feb. 1) at 6 p.m. on Channel 17. SJV Water Editor and CEO Lois Henry talks with Rosedale-Rio Bravo Water Storage District General Manager Eric Averett and Kern…

Groundwater • Uncategorized

Our “valley of tribes” must work together on water issues

November 14, 2019

• by Lois Henry

Water and oil do mix, or at least they should in order for the San Joaquin Valley to succeed, said Sarge Green, a project director at the Water, Education and Technology (WET) center at Fresno State. Green spoke at the annual Kern Energy Summit Wednesday morning. He was joined by Steve Bohlen, Energy and Homeland…

Groundwater

Farmers looking for answers in groundwater plans

October 18, 2019

• by Lois Henry

Now that actual pumping amounts are coming out per the state’s new groundwater law, farmers, bankers, farm managers and others are getting a clearer picture of their post SGMA worlds. And they have questions. About 25 people attended a recent groundwater sustainability plan presentation in Shafter for landowners in the Shafter-Wasco Irrigation and North Kern…

Groundwater • Rivers

SJV Water on the Richard Beene radio show KERN 1180a.m./96.1f.m.

October 11, 2019

• by Lois Henry

I was on the radio yesterday talking about SJV Water and our first story detailing the wide gulf between what Kern water manager’s claim our groundwater overdraft is and what modeling has shown it truly is. Spoiler alert: The overdraft is BIG! CLICK HERE to listen to the radio interview. …

Groundwater

Water updates large and small

July 16, 2019

• by Lois Henry

What’s new in water? Oh, I thought you’d never ask. I’ve got some important tidbits for you. Oh don’t whine, this is the last water column by me you’ll have to slog through so COWGRRRL UP! The biggest, immediate water question right now is: Will they? Or won’t they? I’m talking about the California WaterFix and…

Groundwater

Dry wells in Rosedale get help but make me wonder

April 1, 2019

• by Lois Henry

I checked in with Rosedale-Rio Bravo Water Storage District recently to see how its “dry well” program was going. It’s steady. Meaning the agricultural water district is still getting a steady influx of claims from owners of wells that have gone dry. Not because of the drought, per se. But because of how groundwater has…

Groundwater

New groundwater world a scary, confusing place

April 1, 2019

• by Lois Henry

The county continued its pattern on Tuesday of declaring itself a Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) over the exact boundaries previously declared a GSA by water agencies. To date, the Kern Board of Supervisors has “filed over” five nascent GSAs, creating a lot of grumbling and ill will along the way. (I’ll get back to that.)…

Groundwater

Longtime water foes join forces

April 1, 2019

• by Lois Henry

There’s nothing like a common enemy to bring warring parties together. That was never more true than with the City of Bakersfield and Kern Delta Water District, which agreed this week to form a joint Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA). As part of the alliance, they both agreed to drop long-running lawsuits against each other. And…