california water Archives

State Attorney General, Fish and Wildlife join fight to bring flows back to the Kern River

October 14, 2024

• by Lois Henry, SJV Water

Two powerful California agencies have jumped into the legal fight over flows in the lower Kern River. California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a brief Monday “on behalf of the People of the State” as well as the California Department of Fish and Wildlife urging the 5th District Court of Appeals to reinstate a Kern…

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Effects of water scarcity, regulations discussed at State of Kings County event

October 11, 2024

• by Monserrat Solis, California Local News Fellow

Editor’s note: Monserrat Solis covers Kings County water issues for SJV Water through the California Local News Fellowship initiative. Regulatory challenges and increasing water demands are shifting pressures and creating fierce resource competition in the San Joaquin Valley that will affect Kings County’s future, according to one speaker at the State of Kings County event…

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Westlands Water District teams up with democrats on massive solar project

October 11, 2024

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

The powerful, and politically right-leaning Westlands Water District recently teamed up with left-leaning democratic assemblymember Esmeralda Soria on renewable energy. Her bill, AB 2661, was signed by Governor Gavin Newsom last month and will allow Westlands in western Fresno County to oversee the generation, storage and transmission of solar energy. Within Westlands, about 130,000 acres…

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MEETING NOTES: Kern groundwater agencies want to push back subbasin’s probation hearing date

October 10, 2024

• by Sonia Lemus, freelance for SJV Water

Meeting: Rosedale-Rio Bravo Water Storage District board of directors Date: October 8, 2024 Agenda and Board packet: CLICK HERE Kern subbasin hopes to push back groundwater hearing date Dan Bartel, Rosedale-Rio Bravo’s engineer-manager, informed the board that the Kern subbasin is looking to push back the February 20th hearing date before the state Water Resources…

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Whether pumping cuts come from state or locals, cuts are coming to Tulare County farmers

October 7, 2024

• by Lisa McEwen, SJV Water

Water managers in two Tulare County groundwater agencies are scrambling to keep their farmers out of state clutches as much as possible, even knowing the solution will be painful. “As long as we don’t saddle our landowners with another fee and a report to fill out, that’s our goal,” said attorney Alex Peltzer, who represents…

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Madera County farmland conversion program gets underway with $10 million in state funds

October 4, 2024

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

Land owners can now officially submit proposals to Madera County to convert their ag land to less water intensive uses under a new program adopted by the Board of Supervisors Tuesday using $10 million in state funds. The money comes from the state’s Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program, which aims to reduce reliance on groundwater by…

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Seat on one of Kern’s most powerful but little known water boards has a challenger

October 2, 2024

• by Lois Henry, SJV Water

Siona Harper Huyck knows her bid for a seat on the Kern County Water Agency in this November’s election is a long shot. The education and health consultant doesn’t have much experience in water, for starters. And she’s up against incumbent Royce Fast, a fourth generation Rosedale-area farmer with nearly 30 years serving on water…

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A full day of Kern groundwater plan meetings set for Oct. 3

October 1, 2024

• by Lois Henry, SJV Water

Kern County water managers will hold a full day of public meetings around the county on Thursday to explain and answer questions about the revamped Kern subbasin groundwater plan. The document lays out Kern’s groundwater situation now and how water managers plan to improve water tables and keep them stable into the future. Meetings will…

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State appeals Kings County judge’s groundwater injunction

September 30, 2024

• by Monserrat Solis, California Local News Fellow

Editor’s note: Monserrat Solis covers Kings County water issues for SJV Water through the California Local News Fellowship initiative. The state Water Resources Control Board announced Monday it is appealing a Kings County judge’s preliminary injunction that has forced the state to hold off on measures intended to corral excessive groundwater pumping in the region….

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Valley residents already struggling with dry wells faced another problem this summer: Superheated tank water

September 27, 2024

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

First their wells went dry. Then this summer’s brutal heat wave made water in emergency storage tanks so scalding hot, some valley residents had to siphon it into containers and let it cool before it could be used. “We’re very grateful to even have the tanks,” stressed Merideth Moreno, who lives near the small Tulare…

NEWS

State Attorney General, Fish and Wildlife join fight to bring flows back to the Kern River

Effects of water scarcity, regulations discussed at State of Kings County event

Westlands Water District teams up with democrats on massive solar project

MEETING NOTES: Kern groundwater agencies want to push back subbasin’s probation hearing date

Whether pumping cuts come from state or locals, cuts are coming to Tulare County farmers

Madera County farmland conversion program gets underway with $10 million in state funds

Seat on one of Kern’s most powerful but little known water boards has a challenger

A full day of Kern groundwater plan meetings set for Oct. 3

State appeals Kings County judge’s groundwater injunction

Valley residents already struggling with dry wells faced another problem this summer: Superheated tank water

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