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SGMA

Valley could see a “mass migration” of farmworkers as land is fallowed under state groundwater law

May 2, 2022

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

Advocates are sounding the alarm for what they think could be the collapse of the San Joaquin Valley’s agriculture workforce. As drought continues to hammer the state and groundwater pumping restrictions take effect, farmland will need to be retired en masse. While there have been many conversations, including legislation, on how to support farmers during…

SGMA

Ag well drilling still under a cloud of confusion from Gov. Newsom’s drought order

April 27, 2022

• by Jesse Vad and Lois Henry, SJV Water

Gov. Newsom’s emergency drought order that singled out agricultural wells for extra scrutiny is continuing to cause confusion and angst in some parts of the San Joaquin Valley, while other areas are stutter-stepping forward. Selma raisin farmer Tony Panoo was happy to finally have his well drilled on Monday after several tense weeks when his…

Drought

Third year of drought pushes price of water to $2,000 an acre foot

April 26, 2022

• by Lois Henry

A sale of agricultural water within the Panoche Water District on the upper west side of the San Joaquin Valley hit the eye-popping price of $2,000 per acre foot recently. The buyer bought 668 acre feet in a deal that was brokered by Nat DiBuduo with Alliance Ag Services. The buyer, whose name was withheld,…

Rivers

Kern River among top 10 “most endangered rivers” in the country

April 18, 2022

• by Lois Henry

The lower Kern River earned the dubious distinction of being named one of the country’s 10 “most endangered rivers,” according to American Rivers, a national environmental group that has highlighted rivers suffering pollution and other threats for the past 36 years. The group listed “excessive water withdrawls” as the main threat to the lower Kern,…

Drought • SGMA

How low will it go? Kern agencies worry one district setting groundwater levels too far down

April 16, 2022

• by Lois Henry

Kern County agricultural water districts are giving major side-eye to one of their own over what’s known as “minimum threshold” groundwater levels The grumbling is aimed at the sprawling Semitropic Water Storage District in northwest Kern, where minimum thresholds are set, in some cases, at levels that would allow farmers to pump down the water…

Drought • Groundwater

Gov. Newsom’s drought order brings ag well activity to a standstill in some areas

April 14, 2022

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

Valley groundwater agencies are mired in confusion and concern over Gov. Newsom’s March 28 executive drought order, which added new steps for permitting agricultural wells, according to agencies’ staff. As groundwater agency managers scramble to hash out exactly how to comply with the order, well permits in some areas are stuck in limbo leaving well…

Drinking Water • Drought

A glimmer of hope in one small town’s long struggle for clean water

April 12, 2022

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

The tiny community of Tooleville on the edge of the valley floor in Tulare County is finally beginning the process of getting clean drinking water from the nearby City of Exeter. And last month, the state announced a proposed standard for hexavalent chromium, which is in Tooleville’s water. Without a safety standard for hexavalent chromium…

Uncategorized

Kern County agricultural water district begins mining mountain stream under pilot program

April 8, 2022

• by Lois Henry

Water flowing down the south fork of the Kern River began running through Lake Isabella earlier this month with a name and destination attached for the first time in its history. The water will eventually make its way 60 miles down river to its owner, the Rosedale-Rio Bravo Water Storage District in northwest Bakersfield under…

Federal System

When ag water is short, it’s good to be a San Joaquin River Exchange Contractor

April 4, 2022

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

Even as most agricultural water supplies are being cut to the bone with California descending into a third year of extreme drought, the San Joaquin River Exchange Contractor districts will apparently receive 100% of their “critical year” allotment – 650,000 acre feet. The move is just one of the quirks in California’s byzantine world water…

Groundwater • Personalities

Judge’s order stops a Kings County pipeline, the focus of just one battle in the ongoing Boswell-Vidovich water war

April 4, 2022

• by Lois Henry

A Kings County judge issued a preliminary injunction Monday stopping a 48-inch water pipeline from cutting through the Tulare Lake Canal. The decision comes several months after J.G. Boswell, which controls the Tulare Lake Canal Company, blockaded the canal with bulldozers and excavators to keep the pipeline, owned by Sandridge Partners, which is controlled by…

NEWS

Valley could see a “mass migration” of farmworkers as land is fallowed under state groundwater law

Ag well drilling still under a cloud of confusion from Gov. Newsom’s drought order

Third year of drought pushes price of water to $2,000 an acre foot

Kern River among top 10 “most endangered rivers” in the country

How low will it go? Kern agencies worry one district setting groundwater levels too far down

Gov. Newsom’s drought order brings ag well activity to a standstill in some areas

A glimmer of hope in one small town’s long struggle for clean water

Kern County agricultural water district begins mining mountain stream under pilot program

When ag water is short, it’s good to be a San Joaquin River Exchange Contractor

Judge’s order stops a Kings County pipeline, the focus of just one battle in the ongoing Boswell-Vidovich water war

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