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State rejects six San Joaquin Valley groundwater plans, which could bring enforcement action

• by Jesse Vad and Lois Henry, SJV Water
Six San Joaquin Valley groundwater agencies learned Thursday they could be subject to state enforcement action if they don’t redo plans to bring their aquifers back into balance. In its final determinations, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) said the inadequate plans either didn’t do enough to protect water quality, allowed for too much continued…
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Madera farmers push back on tighter pumping restrictions, county agrees to keep status quo

• by Rose Horowitch, SJV Water reporting intern
Facing heated pushback from growers, Madera County officials decided to maintain current groundwater pumping allotments for the next two years rather than reduce allocations over that time. At its Jan. 10 meeting, Board of Supervisors also considered increasing penalties for growers who exceed pumping allocations in the Madera, Chowchilla, and Delta-Mendota subbasins as part of…
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Some San Joaquin Valley farmers are rebelling against groundwater measures

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water
As water managers throughout the San Joaquin Valley scramble to reign in groundwater pumping, they’re running into a serious roadblock: angry farmers.  Across the valley, farmers have decried fees and other measures meant to reduce pumping, threatening not to pay, taking agencies to court and protesting groundwater rules.  In some cases, it’s working.  In the…
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Desert groundwater agency mulls how to get water from San Joaquin Valley

• by Rose Horowitch, SJV Water reporting intern
A high-desert groundwater agency in eastern Kern County that’s in the midst of buying water from Kings County in the San Joaquin Valley, recently considered alternatives for how to actually get that water up and over the Sierra Nevada mountain range. The Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority, which covers the Ridgecrest area, got updates on…
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A tractor discs land near a wildlife area. SOURCE: Department of Water Resources

New state program will pay to keep groundwater in the ground

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water
The state will likely soon be offering  up more cash to farmers who take their crops out of production. The state Department of Water Resources’ (DWR) new LandFlex program will pay out $25 million to local agencies and ultimately, as an incentive to farmers.  This is different from the Multibenefit Land Repurposing program overseen by…
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Boswell-Vidovich water war blows up over groundwater

• by Jesse Vad and Lois Henry, SJV Water
A long simmering water war between Kings County’s two biggest farming entities blew up Wednesday over groundwater when the state rejected the region’s plan to shore up its declining aquifer. The fallout could be significant if the state pursues enforcement, which could include pumping limits, steep fines and fees for all groundwater users in the…
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Distrust of satellite monitoring delays Madera County’s plan to penalize growers for over pumping

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water
Fear and confusion over a new groundwater monitoring technology pushed back the “penalty phase” of Madera County’s attempt to get a handle on its pumping problem. The Madera County Board of Supervisors was supposed to have voted on penalties for growers who pump more than they’re allowed at its Sept. 13 meeting. But after three…
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Vulnerable domestic wells will be focus of $10 million farmland retirement grant in Madera County

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water
Three San Joaquin Valley water agencies are gearing up to spend $10 million each in grant funding from the state Department of Conservation to retire or repurpose farmland. Valley agencies that received grants so far include the Kaweah Delta Water Conservation District, Pixley Irrigation District Groundwater Sustainbility Agency (GSA) and Madera County. SJV Water will…
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