Friant-Kern Canal fix approved over concerns the plan isn’t fully baked
The Friant Water Authority on Thursday approved the final environmental review for a massive project to fix a 33-mile segment of the Friant-Kern Canal despite continued questions about funding and other concerns expressed by some Friant contractors. One water manager compared the plan to several bungled construction projects, including California’s High Speed Rail and a…
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Locals speak up for the Kern River at the State Water Board
Love was overflowing for the Kern River Tuesday at the State Water Resources Control Board’s monthly meeting. A slew of Bakersfield locals told board members how much an actual, wet river means for residents. Speakers asked board members to make the Kern a priority and finally allocate unappropriated water on the river that has been…
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“Madness and arrogance” blamed for one lawsuit against desert groundwater agency
Two lawsuits accusing the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority of ramming through a plan that ignores water rights and, according to one plaintiff, is intended to “destroy agriculture” were filed this week. At issue is a controversial $2,000-per-acre-foot fee approved by the authority last month that would be charged to certain groundwater users over a…
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Happy 50th “Kern Riversary!” 1970 vote brought river into public hands
Fifty years ago this week, the Bakersfield City Council committed an audaciously historic act. On Monday evening Sept. 28, 1970, council members decided to sue Tenneco West for a slice of the Kern River. “The shock was great to many, but from that day forward we had their attention and cooperation,” states the “Kern River…
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20-mile replacement canal is preferred fix for the sagging Friant-Kern Canal
A rapid-fire review of potential fixes to the Friant-Kern Canal favors building a replacement canal for 20 miles alongside the existing canal where land subsidence has caused it to sag, severely restricting water flow, according to final environmental documents released Friday. You need to login to view the rest of the content. Please Login. Not…
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Evaporation adds up. How much? Google it – someday
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Tainted valley groundwater could stymie banking deals
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Desert water basin hopes to dive into California water market
If you’ve got water for sale, the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority has $50 million to spend. Or, it will once it starts collecting a controversial, five-year, $2,000-per-acre-foot pumping fee that was approved by the authority last week. Specifically, the desert groundwater basin about 100 miles northeast of Bakersfield in the Mojave Desert, is looking…
Read MoreValley farmers look to Kern River tributary to replenish groundwater
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Maven's Notebook is an excellent daily accounting of California water happenings statewide.
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