central valley Archives - Page 24 of 26

Valley groundwater may get (small) slice of state’s $15 billion surplus

January 13, 2021

• by Lois Henry

The Governor’s proposal for how to spend California’s $15 billion surplus includes $60 million in direct grants to help replenish groundwater in the valley’s most depleted basins. The measure specifies the money is to be used in “critically over-drafted basins,” which lie mostly in the San Joaquin Valley. Water managers were pleasantly surprised, but not…

Rivers

Valley irrigation district OKs plan to harvest mountain stream

January 13, 2021

• by Lois Henry

A plan to bring water from the South Fork of the Kern River through Isabella Lake and down 60 miles to farm fields west of Bakersfield was unanimously approved by the Rosedale-Rio Bravo Water Storage District board of directors on Tuesday. If the environmental documents supporting that plan survive what is sure to be a…

Drinking Water

COVID-19 relief includes money for water bill debt. Will it be enough?

January 12, 2021

• by Lois Henry

The COVID-19 relief bill passed last month includes $638 million to address the growing issue of water bill debt across the nation. When the pandemic dug in last spring, many states, including California, issued moratoriums on household water shut offs for lack of payment. That moratorium is still in place in California and water debt…

Federal System • Friant-Kern Canal • Groundwater • Rivers

California water “stockings” stuffed with federal money

December 23, 2020

• by Lois Henry

Christmas appeared to come early for California water interests with more than $1 billion in federal funding for a variety of projects packed into the recent federal funding bill that included COVID-19 relief. At the top of the list for the San Joaquin Valley is $206 million to aid in repairing the Friant-Kern Canal. The…

Rivers

Quest for water in the Kern River continues

December 16, 2020

• by Lois Henry

The steady drumbeat of support to get more water flowing in the Kern River through Bakersfield continued Tuesday at the State Water Resources Control Board. During the public comment portion of the meeting three speakers from Bakersfield and Kern County’s political realm urged board members to finally hear — and grant — a decade-old petition…

Friant-Kern Canal

Proposed agreement could boost funds to fix Friant-Kern Canal

December 16, 2020

• by Lois Henry

In what was hailed as a “landmark agreement,” farmers in an area of southern Tulare County blamed for sinking the Friant-Kern Canal from excessive groundwater pumping will chip in a hefty amount to help pay for a fix. How hefty could be decided by their payment choice. A longer term payment option would be $200…

Conservation • Groundwater

New land trust focused on groundwater aims to give farmers options

December 2, 2020

• by Lois Henry

Southern Tulare County farmers inching toward a cliff of groundwater restrictions that could dry up tens of thousands of acres have joined with conservationists to potentially soften their own landing and help improve wildlife habitat at the same time. At least that’s the goal of the newly formed Tule Basin and Water Conservation Trust. “Land…

Rivers

SJV Water on TV talking about the Kern River

November 24, 2020

• by Lois Henry

SJV Water discussed the Kern River on “Kern County In Depth,” a weekly feature on KGET Channel 17. Anchor Jim Scott discussed a new effort by a group of Bakersfield folks to get water in the river more often. The group, called “Bring Back the Kern,” started an online petition to bring awareness to the…

State System

Pricey tunnel sparks talk of water sales

November 11, 2020

• by Lois Henry

Getting water through a tunnel under the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta would be pricey. So pricey, some Kern County water districts were looking for an “off-ramp” by potentially selling their main state water supply out of the county. The request was shot down at a special meeting on Nov. 6 by the Kern County Water Agency,…

Groundwater

Madera groundwater plan accepted by state

November 11, 2020

• by Lois Henry

The public can finally get a look at how Madera officials plan to correct severe groundwater over pumping and replenish aquifers in that area. For some farmers, that correction will mean pumping limits of up to 50 percent from what’s allowed today. Water budgets and water markets will also likely become the norm. That information…

NEWS

Valley groundwater may get (small) slice of state’s $15 billion surplus

Valley irrigation district OKs plan to harvest mountain stream

COVID-19 relief includes money for water bill debt. Will it be enough?

California water “stockings” stuffed with federal money

Quest for water in the Kern River continues

Proposed agreement could boost funds to fix Friant-Kern Canal

New land trust focused on groundwater aims to give farmers options

SJV Water on TV talking about the Kern River

Pricey tunnel sparks talk of water sales

Madera groundwater plan accepted by state

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