bakersfield Archives

Kern River watershed “Lookin’ good!”

March 1, 2023

• by SJV Water

Water watcher Scott Williams, who issues a Kern River Snow and Water Report every month, was practically giddy in his March 1 email stating: “Lookin’ good!” for this month’s report. The report compiles water and snow statistics from a variety of public sources. The upshot is the Kern River is forecast at 190% of average….

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…

Rivers

Bakersfield has been derelict toward the public on the Kern River, group alleges

September 21, 2022

• by Lois Henry

Several public interest groups have issued a direct challenge to Bakersfield over the Kern River alleging the city has not lived up to its responsibilities to address the public trust. Water Audit California, an advocacy group based in Napa, sent a letter to the Bakersfield Water Resources Department July 27 demanding the city conduct a…

Personalities

Through dry years and wet – and multiple lawsuits – retiring Bakersfield City water leader met challenges cheerfully

September 16, 2022

• by Lois Henry

Art Chianello, who has led Bakersfield’s Water Resources Department through two of the state’s worst droughts and one of its wettest years on record, is retiring at the end of September. Most municipal water departments are fairly quiet operations. As long as water comes out of taps, not many people pay attention. But the Bakersfield…

Drought

Some parks get water, others dead fish – it’s all tied up in drought and Kern River history

September 13, 2022

• by Lois Henry

The drying lakes at the Park at River Walk and along Truxtun Avenue have stirred a lot of controversy over the impact to wildlife but also over what people see as a lopsided division of pain during this very painful drought. Why are City of Bakersfield water features going dry while lakes, a golf course…

Rivers • The Law of the River

VIDEO: What is 2nd Point on the Kern River?

September 7, 2022

• by Lois Henry

This is the third in a series of videos attempting to break down and explain who owns the Kern River. Structures along the river measure its flows and then divvy it up between its historic owners. So, it’s important to understand these structures, where they are and how they work. We looked at First Point…

Drought

Going, going….water at some of Bakersfield’s most popular parks is almost gone

July 19, 2022

• by Lois Henry

The lake at the Park at River Walk is fast disappearing, as are the Truxtun Lakes and some other city-owned water features. Blame the drought. The City of Bakersfield Water Resources Department has cut off flows to city-owned recreation and water recharge facilities to hold on to what little surface water it’s receiving from the…

Rivers

VIDEO: Local group marches for the Kern River

November 13, 2021

• by Lois Henry

Rivers

March for the Kern River

November 13, 2021

• by Lois Henry

About 30 hardy souls marched the length of the dry Kern River bed — nine miles — from near Manor Street in east Bakersfield all the way to Stockdale Highway Saturday morning to protest the lack of water in the river. At the start of the hike, the group filled bottles and jugs with water…

Rivers

Public can get in on the upcoming Kern River hearing, sort of

November 3, 2021

• by Lois Henry

The public can weigh in on the Kern River at an upcoming hearing but the proceeding will be very narrowly focused, according to a ruling released Wednesday. Too narrowly focused, according to one attorney representing several nonprofits hoping to bring water back to the river through town on a regular basis. “We have a ruling…

NEWS

Kern River watershed “Lookin’ good!”

Bakersfield sued over “dewatering” of Kern River

Bakersfield has been derelict toward the public on the Kern River, group alleges

Through dry years and wet – and multiple lawsuits – retiring Bakersfield City water leader met challenges cheerfully

Some parks get water, others dead fish – it’s all tied up in drought and Kern River history

VIDEO: What is 2nd Point on the Kern River?

Going, going….water at some of Bakersfield’s most popular parks is almost gone

VIDEO: Local group marches for the Kern River

March for the Kern River

Public can get in on the upcoming Kern River hearing, sort of

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