california Archives - Page 20 of 27

Summer of 2021, another dry-well-a-palooza

October 11, 2021

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water reporting intern

Phones were ringing practically non-stop at Self-Help Enterprises toward the end of this summer with valley residents all calling about the same problem: Their wells had gone dry. Employees were fielding 100s of calls a month from people whose wells had dried up, Marliez Diaz wrote in an email. Diaz is a water sustainability manager…

Drinking Water

State looks to consolidate small drinking water systems in Fresno

September 27, 2021

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water reporting intern

State drinking water officials have quietly targeted a dozen small, disadvantaged water systems in Fresno for possible state aid. But it could still take up to three years to get through the paperwork and start putting pipes in the ground. “It takes a long time, years, to go from concept to actual construction starting,” acknowledged…

Rivers

They came, they saw, they took out the trash

September 18, 2021

• by Lois Henry

The Kern River got a lot of love this National Clean Up Day with two groups picking up trash along different sections of the river on Saturday. In Bakersfield, about 40 volunteers with Bring Back the Kern, a nonprofit group dedicated to getting water flowing on a more regular basis through town, cleared away trash under…

Drought

Water transfers helped farmers survive this year. Now, all eyes are on the coming water year

September 15, 2021

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water reporting intern

Water transfers, trades and sales doubled this year as drought left San Joaquin Valley farmers scrambling for supplies. “This has been kind of an exceptional year for transfers,” said Sam Boland-Brien, program manager at the State Water Resources Control Board’s Division of Water Rights. Boland-Brien said he’s seen about twice the amount of transfers this…

Groundwater

Farmland repurposing program awaits Gov. Newsom’s OK

September 14, 2021

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water reporting intern

A bill that would create a program to help farmers find new life for farmland idled by coming groundwater restrictions had its own phoenix moment in early September when it was simultaneously killed and reborn — this time with money. AB 252, authored by Assemblymembers Robert Rivas (D-Salinas) and Rudy Salas (D-Bakersfield), died in the…

Drinking Water • Drought

Fresno County towns with no drinking water drown in debt while residents wait for new well

September 12, 2021

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water reporting intern

This story was produced with funding and support from Fresnoland, for the Fresno Bee. Republishing is encouraged 48 hours after initial posting. The longer it takes for two new wells to be dug in Cantua Creek and El Porvenir in western Fresno County, the deeper in debt the towns are mired. Now, with the drought, those well projects are…

Groundwater

Growers hope groundwater markets provide flexibility

September 7, 2021

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water reporting intern

Some San Joaquin Valley farmers could someday have a new “crop” to sell — their groundwater. In the face of looming groundwater pumping restrictions, some groundwater agencies are looking at internal markets to give growers a way to save water and still earn a profit. These nascent markets are still in the talking and tinkering…

Rivers

Public is in the ring in fight over Kern River

August 17, 2021

• by Lois Henry

It was clear during the first hearing on the Kern River Tuesday that the public has a seat at the table as never before. Tuesday’s hearing was mostly procedural — setting out which issues would be sorted first and how. Permeating the discussion at nearly every turn, however, was the public trust doctrine, which gives…

Drought • Rivers

State board’s curtailment order could have long-reaching effects

August 10, 2021

• by Lois Henry

The real test of the state’s recently passed ban on the use of water from most of the state’s rivers won’t be later this summer when the ban will likely to go into effect, it will be the upcoming water year. And possibly longer term. This irrigation season is nearly over. But growers and water…

Drought

Tulare County officials say state red tape made water crisis, suffering worse for Teviston

July 25, 2021

• by Jesse Vad and Lois Henry

This story was reported and written by Jesse Vad, SJV Water intern and Lois Henry, SJV Water CEO. It was produced with funding and support from Fresnoland, for the Fresno Bee. Republishing is allowed 48 hours after initial posting. The state’s response to the water crisis that gripped tiny Teviston, California earlier this summer should…

NEWS

Summer of 2021, another dry-well-a-palooza

State looks to consolidate small drinking water systems in Fresno

They came, they saw, they took out the trash

Water transfers helped farmers survive this year. Now, all eyes are on the coming water year

Farmland repurposing program awaits Gov. Newsom’s OK

Fresno County towns with no drinking water drown in debt while residents wait for new well

Growers hope groundwater markets provide flexibility

Public is in the ring in fight over Kern River

State board’s curtailment order could have long-reaching effects

Tulare County officials say state red tape made water crisis, suffering worse for Teviston

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