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Extreme, prolonged heat is straining drinking water wells throughout the San Joaquin Valley

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water
Despite back-to-back good water years, domestic wells are still drying up all across the valley as record breaking heat waves pummel the region.  The state saw slightly above average runoff for the 2023-2024 water year with significant precipitation and major reservoirs largely above average levels. That’s on top of an epic 2022-2023 water year. The…
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VIDEO: Climate change and water diversions for agriculture have all but dried up an ancient food source of the Tachi Yokut tribe

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water
The indigenous Tachi Yokut people have lived in the San Joaquin Valley for thousands of years. Throughout much of that time, they subsisted on the land, including oyster mushrooms which used to grow in abundance on trees in the area. But because of water diversions and the drying out of the reservation’s lands, the mushrooms…
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Rising from the ashes: Groundwater agency blamed for Kings County probationary woes relaunches

• by Lisa McEwen, SJV Water
After several rounds of musical chairs in front of a standing-room only audience, a groundwater agency that had been blamed for putting Kings County into probationary status with the state was reconstituted and launched anew Monday night. “Tonight’s the night we come together,” said Kings County Supervisor Doug Verboon, who, along with his fellow supervisors…
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Visalia-based nonprofit swamped by requests for help from San Joaquin Valley groundwater agencies

• by Lisa McEwen, SJV Water
Self-Help Enterprises, a nonprofit that works with rural valley residents whose wells go dry, may need a little help of its own as more and more groundwater agencies are hoping to use it as a pillar in their plans to reach sustainability. The nonprofit already has a $5.8 million annual contract with groundwater sustainability agencies…
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“Groundhog day meets purgatory.” The tale of the sinking Tule subbasin

• by Lois Henry
When you’re done, you’re done. And the Delano-Earlimart Irrigation District Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) is done. The district recently issued its new groundwater plan — purposely without coordination among the other groundwater agencies in the Tule subbasin. In the San Joaquin Valley water world, that’s the equivalent of going rogue. Especially as the Tule subbasin…
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Kern subbasin’s third try at groundwater plan fails to avert state enforcement action

• by Lois Henry
Noting that Kern County residents could suffer “urgent impacts” to their drinking water from continued agricultural groundwater overpumping, staff at the state Water Resources Control Board announced Thursday they are recommending the entire Kern subbasin be put on probation. Probation is the first step toward a possible state pumping take over. A hearing before the…
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Ag districts to fund water projects, and more, in several disadvantaged west Fresno County communities

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water
Four large agricultural water districts have kicked in an initial $580,000 to pay for water projects in several communities dotting the vast farming areas of western Fresno County. The funding amount will remain the same until the districts revisit the program in three years.  The four districts – Central California Irrigation District, Firebaugh Canal Water…
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