Water News - Page 20 of 76 in California's San Joaquin Valley

Will a pending water rights bill on Gov. Newsom’s desk be a game changer in California water? It depends

September 15, 2023

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

A water rights bill that made it through the Legislature this year is, arguably, a much weakened version of its original form, but the fact that it addresses senior rights at all is a significant step, according to experts. Senate Bill 389, which clarifies the state Water Resources Control Board’s ability to investigate senior water…

SGMA • Uncategorized

Final state grants announced for groundwater agencies; four in the San Joaquin Valley

September 13, 2023

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

On Tuesday, the state announced $187 million in funding for its final round of groundwater agency funding for the time being. The money will fund 103 groundwater projects throughout the state including four in the San Joaquin Valley. The Oakdale Irrigation District in Stanislaus County will receive $14.3 million to expand a groundwater recharge facility…

Drinking Water • Drought • Uncategorized

Tule River tribe suffers chronic water problems, even in record wet year

September 12, 2023

• by Lisa McEwen, SJV Water

Despite a record snowpack that has kept the South Fork of the Tule River flowing at a steady clip, residents of the Tule River Reservation – who get 60 percent of their supplies directly from the river – were recently without water for eight days. The problem, ironically, was too much water. Specifically, from Hurricane…

SGMA • Uncategorized

“Immense” flow of public funds to groundwater agencies is tapering off

September 11, 2023

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

Since 2015, the state has doled out nearly $150 million to groundwater agencies for planning and projects. The flow of money has been almost nonstop for some agencies and has made it possible to operate consistently. But the tap is shutting off. Groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs) are meant to be self-sufficient and generate their own…

Rivers • Uncategorized

Ancestral lands back in the hands of Kern River Valley tribe that had lived there for thousands of years

September 7, 2023

• by Lois Henry

A Kern River Valley Native American tribe that has lived along the branches of the north and south forks of the Kern River for millennia, has ownership of a piece of its ancient homeland for the first time since it was grabbed up by settlers back in the 1800s. The Tübatulabal Tribe got the deed…

Drinking Water

East Orosi residents protest what they say is abusive, dysfunctional water district

September 5, 2023

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

Just as residents in rural East Orosi are getting some traction on drinking water issues, they are dealing with what they call abusive treatment over sewage services and they’ve had enough. At a recent protest during the East Orosi Community Services District meeting, about 40 residents laid out charges of mistreatment. They alleged the district…

Floods

Planning and luck kept Kern County’s flood-prone Lamont mostly dry this year

August 28, 2023

• by Lois Henry

Of all the places that unexpectedly flooded this past year, there was one that unexpectedly did not – Lamont. Typically, heavy rain years kick up water in the Caliente Creek and it comes rushing east out of the Tehachapi Mountains, turns south under Highway 58 into a wide wash and floods out Lamont. Years ago,…

Floods

Floodplain work could start on two San Joaquin Valley rivers as soon as this week after state funding was approved

August 28, 2023

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

The state approved funding for a range of floodplain projects in the San Joaquin Valley, clearing the way for work to potentially begin as soon as this week. The state budget included $40 million for floodplain restoration projects in the San Joaquin Valley, which would let rivers spread out over large swaths of undeveloped land…

Floods

Poso: Kern County’s recurring problem creek in search of a solution

August 24, 2023

• by Lois Henry

It’s no mystery why the tiny community of Pond was flooded out this last spring. All you had to do was drive four miles south to see the massive pile of debris at the Highway 43 bridge to know all that water churning through the normally dry Poso Creek was going to bust out and…

Rivers • Uncategorized

Kern River to get a new Watermaster, but one with a familiar name

August 24, 2023

• by Lois Henry

Art Chianello will step in as the new Kern River Watermaster at the start of the new water year, which is Oct. 1. Chianello, who retired as head of the City of Bakersfield’s Water Resources Department in Sept. 2022, is extremely famliar with the inner workings of the Kern River as a large chunk is…

NEWS

Will a pending water rights bill on Gov. Newsom’s desk be a game changer in California water? It depends

Final state grants announced for groundwater agencies; four in the San Joaquin Valley

Tule River tribe suffers chronic water problems, even in record wet year

“Immense” flow of public funds to groundwater agencies is tapering off

Ancestral lands back in the hands of Kern River Valley tribe that had lived there for thousands of years

East Orosi residents protest what they say is abusive, dysfunctional water district

Planning and luck kept Kern County’s flood-prone Lamont mostly dry this year

Floodplain work could start on two San Joaquin Valley rivers as soon as this week after state funding was approved

Poso: Kern County’s recurring problem creek in search of a solution

Kern River to get a new Watermaster, but one with a familiar name

Subscribe To Our Weekly Newsletter & Get Email Notifications