Friant-Kern Canal is getting a lot of bipartisan love – but no money so far
Politicians of all persuasions have jumped in to fix the Friant-Kern Canal “sag,” which has severely reduced the canal’s ability to carry a full load of water in recent years. Congressman TJ Cox (D-Fresno) introduced H.R. 5316 on Friday. It would provide $200 million to fix the canal, which brings water 152 miles from Millerton…
Read More
Locals gear up for fight to keep Kings River water
Farmers in Kern County applied to the state to take floodwater south to make up huge groundwater deficit Just as they did more than two generations ago, Kern County farmers are looking to another Central Valley river to the north to refill their groundwater shortfall. But this time around, natives in the Kings River watershed…
Read More
Lawsuit aims to save desert ag
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…
Read More
Our “valley of tribes” must work together on water issues
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…
Read More
No-nonsense Kern water leader dies at 67
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…
Read More
Kern groundwater shortfall numbers closer to reality
New numbers coming in from water districts to the Kern Groundwater Authority show a groundwater overdraft of 249,644 acre feet a year – and that’s a good thing. “At the last meeting, I admonished water managers to get serious about this, and I’m pleased to report that they have,” said Dennis Mullins, chair of the…
Read More
Farmers looking for answers in groundwater plans
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…
Read More
SJV Water on the Richard Beene radio show KERN 1180a.m./96.1f.m.
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.
Read More
Kern groundwater tally not adding up
San Joaquin Valley farms and towns have pumped the basin’s groundwater so furiously and for so long that parts of the valley are sinking, endangering roads and bridges and even breaking one of the main canals that brings in water to support local agriculture. Yet, here in Kern County, state-mandated water budgets presented by several…
Read More
Water updates large and small
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…
Read More
Maven's Notebook is an excellent daily accounting of California water happenings statewide.
Visit Site