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MEETING NOTES: Kern water districts look at joining forces to fix domestic wells and study sinking along the Friant-Kern Canal

• by Sonia Lemus, freelance for SJV Water
* “Meeting Notes” is a new feature focused on Kern County water districts, funded through a grant from the James B. McClatchy Foundation. Please consider supporting SJV Water to continue this important coverage.   Meetings: Rosedale-Rio Bravo Water Storage District board of directors Arvin-Edison board of directors Wheeler Ridge-Maricopa board of directors Cawelo Water District…
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As companies buy up more valley farmland, the wells get deeper, according to new study

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water
Private companies have been snatching up more and more farmland and drilling deeper wells, according to new research.  A newly published study looked at data from 2003-2017 and showed a drastic increase in limited liability companies (LLCs) buying up farmland throughout the state. It also looked at well drilling in the San Joaquin Valley specifically…
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State not ponying up enough $$ for farmland retirement, critics say

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water
Though $40 million was added to the state’s farmland retirement pot, some worry it won’t be nearly enough. Gov. Gavin Newsom authorized the funding Tuesday night to be added to the state’s new Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program. The program, initially funded with $50 million in 2021,  pays for farmland to be taken out of production…
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Madera groundwater plans kicked back by state for not protecting domestic wells, ignoring subsidence

• by Jesse Vad and Lois Henry, SJV Water
The state kicked Madera County groundwater plans back for a redo on Thursday, noting, in particular, that they had set water levels so low it could endanger hundreds of domestic wells. The plans also all but ignored ongoing damage to roads, bridges and canals caused by sinking land, subsidence, opting mostly to “monitor” the situation….
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Even emergency water suppliers are close to tapped out as more valley towns go dry

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water
Groundwater levels are dropping and domestic wells throughout the San Joaquin Valley are going dry as California’s third year of drought grinds on. That includes entire towns, such as East Orosi and Tooleville in Tulare County, which both went dry last week. It’s bad. But it may get worse. Area water suppliers are “locking down”…
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Vulnerable domestic wells will be focus of $10 million farmland retirement grant in Madera County

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water
Three San Joaquin Valley water agencies are gearing up to spend $10 million each in grant funding from the state Department of Conservation to retire or repurpose farmland. Valley agencies that received grants so far include the Kaweah Delta Water Conservation District, Pixley Irrigation District Groundwater Sustainbility Agency (GSA) and Madera County. SJV Water will…
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State water funding to help upgrade mountain systems

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water
A sliver of state money will help upgrade drinking water systems in eastern Fresno County mountain communities that have been plagued by both drought and devastating wildfires. The money is part of an overall $300 million in Department of Water Resources funding aimed at drought impacts. In Fresno County, the Sierra Resource Conservation District was…
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Got connections in rural SJV towns? Know how to work a room? The state may have a job for you…

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water
If you know your way around impoverished, rural communities with bad drinking water in the San Joaquin Valley, the state needs your help. A highly anticipated $130 million annual program to fix bad drinking water systems in disadvantaged communities has sputtered getting off the ground because the state can’t seem to connect with residents. So,…
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