Water News - Page 34 of 76 in California's San Joaquin Valley

Drought

High tech snow flights to cover most of California’s watersheds this year

December 11, 2022

• by Lois Henry

You probably didn’t notice a twin-engine prop plane loaded with high-tech equipment circling 23,000 feet over the San Joaquin Valley’s upper watersheds this fall. But it was there, gathering information about those watersheds in their “snow off” condition. That detailed information will be vital to multiple follow up flights of Airborne Snow Observatories, Inc. (ASO)…

SGMA

Court pauses groundwater fees in Madera County; throws regional plans into question

December 9, 2022

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

Farmers in Madera County successfully blocked a key groundwater fee that could upend plans to bring that region’s aquifer into balance per a state mandate. A Madera County Superior Court judge issued a temporary injunction on the county’s fee of $246 per farm unit acre on Dec. 7. That fee was the underpinning for a…

Drinking Water • Drought

Prolonged drought creates tsunami of dry wells in San Joaquin Valley

December 6, 2022

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

A wave of dry wells has hit the San Joaquin Valley hard this year putting the valley on track to see the most dry wells since the state began tracking that information in 2013. And while wells have dried up throughout the state, the valley is the epicenter of dry wells. As of the end…

Drought

State kicks off water year with anticipated 5% allocation

December 1, 2022

• by Lois Henry

The state Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced Dec. 1 that it would provide 5% of contracted amounts across the board for agricultural and municipal customers in 2023. That may sound bad, but the initial allocation announced for 2022 was 0% for ag and only enough water for municipal contractors to protect health and safety….

Uncategorized

Start of the water year reveals below-average precipitation for Kern River watershed

December 1, 2022

• by Lois Henry

The first of seven monthly Kern River Snow and Water reports put out by water watcher Scott Williams arrived in email boxes Dec. 1 and the news was, fairly, well – “eh.” The watershed is below average in terms of precipitation but not that below average, according to Williams’ report, which uses a compilation of…

Rivers

Bakersfield sued over “dewatering” of Kern River

November 30, 2022

• by Lois Henry

Several public interest groups sued the City of Bakersfield Nov. 30 alleging the city has been derelict in its operation of the Kern River by diverting most of its flows to agriculture and other uses leaving a dry riverbed through the heart of town. “The river is dry, but not because of a lack of…

Drought

State drought funding will help valley communities fix water problems faster

November 30, 2022

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

A handful of small valley communities will be able to move more rapidly on water projects thanks to millions in funding recently allocated by the state Department of Water Resources (DWR) as part of its water resilience program. DWR awarded $86 million throughout the state. About $44 million of that will go to small communities…

Groundwater

Kings County passes law to keep its groundwater from being sold beyond its borders

November 29, 2022

• by Lois Henry

In an attempt to stop groundwater from being mined and sold beyond its borders, the Kings County Board of Supervisors passed an ordinance Nov. 29 that will require anyone moving groundwater outside of Kings to get a permit. That includes groundwater pumped to backfill for surface supplies that farmers or water districts export out of…

Personalities

Long-serving, controversial manager of Westlands Water District resigns

November 23, 2022

• by Lois Henry

Longtime Westlands Water District General Manager Tom Birmingham announced Nov. 23 that he will retire as of Dec. 31. “I am retiring with extreme pride in the things Westlands had accomplished over the last two decades,” he wrote in an email announcement. Birmingham had faced the likelihood that a newly-elected majority on the Westlands board…

dams • Rivers

A massive effort – restoring the San Joaquin River

November 22, 2022

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

The San Joaquin River is a vital source of water for agriculture and the environment and it is also home to a unique program that hopes to restore native fish runs. It is a complex program and SJV Water was fortunate to take advantage of a tour offered through the Water Education Foundation Nov. 2-3…

NEWS

High tech snow flights to cover most of California’s watersheds this year

Court pauses groundwater fees in Madera County; throws regional plans into question

Prolonged drought creates tsunami of dry wells in San Joaquin Valley

State kicks off water year with anticipated 5% allocation

Start of the water year reveals below-average precipitation for Kern River watershed

Bakersfield sued over “dewatering” of Kern River

State drought funding will help valley communities fix water problems faster

Kings County passes law to keep its groundwater from being sold beyond its borders

Long-serving, controversial manager of Westlands Water District resigns

A massive effort – restoring the San Joaquin River

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