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State puts second San Joaquin Valley groundwater basin on probation, with two exceptions

• by Lisa McEwen and Jesse Vad, SJV Water
Farmers in southern Tulare County will face greater pumping scrutiny after the state placed the region on probation following a lengthy hearing in Sacramento Sept. 17. State Water Resources Control Board members acknowledged a new groundwater plan submitted by water managers in August had made great strides in many areas. But the big sticking point…
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More lawyers: New legal team joins fight for the Kern River

• by Lois Henry, SJV Water
A prestigious, international law firm has joined the legal team representing local groups suing the City of Bakersfield over how it operates the Kern River. Morrison Foerster is well-known in environmental advocacy circles for, among other things, its work on the Mono Lake case that resulted in the “National Audubon Society v. Superior Court” decision….
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Kings County judge rules against state Water Board in high-stakes groundwater case

• by Lois Henry, Lisa McEwen, Monserrat Solis
Editor’s note: Monserrat Solis is a California Local News Fellow  The state Water Resources Control Board exceeded its authority, operated under a web of “underground regulations” and made unlawful demands of Kings County water managers, according to a preliminary injunction that is a near total repudiation of state actions in its attempt to reign in…
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City of Bakersfield pins blame for dry Kern River on ag districts, tells citizens to go ask them for water

• by Lois Henry, SJV Water
More than 20 people showed up at Bakersfield’s City Council meeting Wednesday night to vent their frustration with a suddenly dry Kern River and ask what more the city can do. The city’s response was hat they should go to the ag districts with river rights. After Council Member Andrae Gonzales led a choreographed Q&A…
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MEETING NOTES: Tulare Lake Basin Water Storage board talks levies, audits and “sloppy” legislative sessions

• by Monserrat Solis, California Local News Fellow
Editor’s note: Monserrat Solis covers Kings County water issues for SJV Water through the California Local News Fellowship initiative. Meeting: Tulare Lake Basin Water Storage District Date: Sept. 10, 2024 Agenda and meeting packet: CLICK HERE The Tulare Lake Basin Water District Board of Directors unanimously voted to hold a hearing to impose a $10-per-acre levy at…
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State budget cuts having “profound” impact on water agencies from state to local levels

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water
The impacts from California’s financial problems are starting to be revealed as some water agencies are implementing serious cutbacks.  During its August board meeting, staff at the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board announced they are trimming the operations budget by 5% because of state budget cuts.  Meanwhile, San Joaquin Valley groundwater managers are…
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Students scramble to study the Kern River as Bakersfield cuts off flows, leaving fish to die en masse

• by Lois Henry, SJV Water
The city of Bakersfield announced Tuesday it was cutting back Kern River flows for a maintenance project. But the hundreds of dead and dying fish found Friday near the Stockdale Highway bridge suggest water had already been ratcheted back days earlier. It’s unknown when flows through Bakersfield might return. The rapidity of the river’s dewatering and…
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