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NEWS

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Kaweah groundwater planning still at a “stand off” even with state take-over looming

• by Lisa McEwen, SJV Water
San Joaquin Valley groundwater managers have had six years to come up with plans to bolster critically overdrafted aquifers. Yet, some appear still stuck at the starting line even as the specter of state intervention is marching ever closer. In the Kaweah subbasin covering northern Tulare County, one groundwater agency is just now setting out…
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California’s “water cop” sets date for the first hearing on one of the valley’s subpar groundwater plans

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water
“Urgent” concerns about rapidly sinking land and potential harm to residential wells pushed the groundwater subbasin covering Kings County to the front of the line among several San Joaquin Valley water regions slated to go before the State Water Resources Control Board. Still, the hearing for the Tulare Lake subbasin won’t come until April 16,…
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State pays valley farmers millions to keep water in the ground

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water
The state is sending millions to farmers throughout the San Joaquin Valley to keep water in the ground.  The money, paid through the LandFlex program, goes to groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs) and then directly to farmers, paying them for every acre foot they don’t pump. On July 24, the Department of Water Resources announced awards…
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Chowchilla groundwater plan resubmitted, state releases probationary hearing schedule

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water
The first of six inadequate San Joaquin Valley groundwater plans has been revised. Water managers in the Chowchilla subbasin made changes to its groundwater sustainability plan (GSP) and informally resubmitted the plan to the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) in hopes of avoiding a probationary trial and state intervention.  In March, six valley plans…
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Another San Joaquin Valley groundwater plan appears headed for rejection

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water
The Madera subbasin’s groundwater plan appears headed for state rejection after one of the region’s seven groundwater agencies refused to approve the most recent version of the plan.  Madera Irrigation District (MID) was the one dissenting agency that did not approve the plan and blamed other groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs) for delays and inaction.  “Madera…
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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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