california Archives - Page 7 of 28

Drought

Storms bring river flows, frustration for San Joaquin Valley water managers

January 7, 2023

• by Jesse Vad and Lois Henry, SJV Water

The string of wet storms streaming over California since the end of 2022 have brought the San Joaquin Valley both relief and frustration, depending on location. In the Fresno area, flows out of Millerton Lake into the San Joaquin River have nearly tripled from 600 cubic feet per second (cfs) to 1,600 cfs. In the…

State System

Retiring Delta Watermaster advises “pray for rain” but “plan for drought”

January 6, 2023

• by Rose Horowitch, SJV Water reporting intern

It may be raining now but Michael George, Watermaster for the San Joaquin-Sacramento Delta, urged his colleagues at the State Water Resources Control Board to always be planning for drought. “The Delta mantra: we pray for rain; we’re getting it. We plan for drought; it will be back,” George said during his final report before…

Rivers

VIDEO: Kern River Parkway wells

January 4, 2023

• by Lois Henry

In 2000, the Kern County Water Agency got $23 million in funding from Proposition 13 for a number of water projects, including to restore a minimum flow in the Kern River through Bakersfield using six wells. The agency built the wells. But has never used them to restore the river….

Rivers

Conditions “significantly improved” for Kern River watershed

January 3, 2023

• by SJV Water

Water watcher Scott Williams put out his Kern River Snow and Water Report on Monday and, based on national, statewide and local data, things have gone from “eh…” to fairly promising. Precipitation in the upper Kern basin, which feeds the North Fork of the Kern river was 134% of average for the water year to date….

Rivers

Kern River “restoration” wells pumping but not to restore the river

December 28, 2022

• by Lois Henry

An observant reader emailed SJV Water recently asking about a well he noticed near Calloway Drive that was pumping water into the brimful Cross Valley Canal just north of the dry Kern River “all summer long and beyond.” He wondered if that was a well owned by the City of Bakersfield and, if so, where…

Uncategorized

2022: So. Much. Water. News!

December 27, 2022

• by Lois Henry

Here we are nearing the end of another year. And the SJV Water team has been taking stock, reflecting and pondering the accumulation of news and events that made up 2022. (Really, we’re taking some much needed time off and I’m, personally, “checkin’ the snow pack” – code for skiing – and needed to stockpile…

Groundwater

Some San Joaquin Valley farmers are rebelling against groundwater measures

December 21, 2022

• 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…

Personalities

Westlands names chief operating officer to serve as interim general manager

December 20, 2022

• by Lois Henry

Westlands Water District named its chief operating officer, Jose Gutierrez to oversee the sprawling district in western Fresno County until it hires a new general manager. Gutierrez will serve as interim general manager until May. The added duties will come with an additional $50,000 to Gutierrez’ $240,000 annual salary, the board announced at its Dec….

SGMA • Uncategorized

Desert groundwater agency mulls how to get water from San Joaquin Valley

December 17, 2022

• 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…

Groundwater • SGMA

New state program will pay to keep groundwater in the ground

December 16, 2022

• 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…

NEWS

Storms bring river flows, frustration for San Joaquin Valley water managers

Retiring Delta Watermaster advises “pray for rain” but “plan for drought”

VIDEO: Kern River Parkway wells

Conditions “significantly improved” for Kern River watershed

Kern River “restoration” wells pumping but not to restore the river

2022: So. Much. Water. News!

Some San Joaquin Valley farmers are rebelling against groundwater measures

Westlands names chief operating officer to serve as interim general manager

Desert groundwater agency mulls how to get water from San Joaquin Valley

New state program will pay to keep groundwater in the ground

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