farming Archives - Page 8 of 18

SGMA

Over pumping will sting Madera growers, just not as much

September 27, 2022

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

There will be a penalty for over pumping groundwater in Madera County, but it won’t be as painful as it could have been. That was the upshot from a nearly three-hour – sometimes fiery – meeting on Tuesday of the Madera County Board of Supervisors. Supervisors opted for a penalty of $100 per acre foot…

SGMA

Distrust of satellite monitoring delays Madera County’s plan to penalize growers for over pumping

September 23, 2022

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

Fear and confusion over a new groundwater monitoring technology pushed back the “penalty phase” of Madera County’s attempt to get a handle on its pumping problem. The Madera County Board of Supervisors was supposed to have voted on penalties for growers who pump more than they’re allowed at its Sept. 13 meeting. But after three…

SGMA

Madera groundwater plans kicked back by state for not protecting domestic wells, ignoring subsidence

September 22, 2022

• 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….

Personalities

Through dry years and wet – and multiple lawsuits – retiring Bakersfield City water leader met challenges cheerfully

September 16, 2022

• by Lois Henry

Art Chianello, who has led Bakersfield’s Water Resources Department through two of the state’s worst droughts and one of its wettest years on record, is retiring at the end of September. Most municipal water departments are fairly quiet operations. As long as water comes out of taps, not many people pay attention. But the Bakersfield…

Personalities

Challenger for seat on powerful Kern water board “withdraws,” at least in spirit

September 12, 2022

• by Lois Henry

Would-be challenger Eric Averett said he is “withdrawing” from the race for a seat on the powerful Kern County Water Agency board of directors. His name will still appear on the ballot, however. Averett said he couldn’t get his name off the ballot as the deadline to do so had already passed when he decided…

SGMA

Fresno officials “irritated” by gravity in wastewater saga, according to ag district

September 10, 2022

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

The City of Fresno hadn’t bothered much recently with a mound of groundwater that accumulates beneath its southwest wastewater treatment plant every year. For decades, it traded a chunk of the water to the Fresno Irrigation District (FID) for about half the amount back in Kings River water, but had let that deal lapse the…

Rivers • The Law of the River

VIDEO: What is 2nd Point on the Kern River?

September 7, 2022

• by Lois Henry

This is the third in a series of videos attempting to break down and explain who owns the Kern River. Structures along the river measure its flows and then divvy it up between its historic owners. So, it’s important to understand these structures, where they are and how they work. We looked at First Point…

Groundwater • Personalities

Fallout from Kings County water war continues as state mulls groundwater plan

August 29, 2022

• by Lois Henry

There’s no word, yet, of state intervention in the ongoing water war between two of Kings County’s largest growers – John Vidovich and the J.G. Boswell Company – but there has been fallout. Kimberly Brown, a board member of the Southwest Kings Groundwater Sustainability Agency, resigned August 10 in protest of last-minute language added to…

Rivers • The Law of the River

VIDEO: First Point is a foundational structure under the Law of the River on the Kern

August 26, 2022

• by Lois Henry

The Kern River is a very highly structured river with multiple weirs, canals and points of measurement. In this video, we’ll look at what’s known as the First Point of measurement on the river, where it is, and why it’s so important to understanding how the Law of the River govern’s Kern River operations. Coming…

Personalities • Policy

Not so new “newcomer” vies for seat on powerful Kern water board

August 19, 2022

• by Lois Henry

The usually sleepy race for the Kern County Water Agency board of directors perked up this month after a challenger filed papers to run for the Division 4 seat. Division 4 Incumbent Director Philip Cerro will face challenger Eric Averett in the November 8 election. Cerro, a longtime area farmer, has served on the board…

NEWS

Over pumping will sting Madera growers, just not as much

Distrust of satellite monitoring delays Madera County’s plan to penalize growers for over pumping

Madera groundwater plans kicked back by state for not protecting domestic wells, ignoring subsidence

Through dry years and wet – and multiple lawsuits – retiring Bakersfield City water leader met challenges cheerfully

Challenger for seat on powerful Kern water board “withdraws,” at least in spirit

Fresno officials “irritated” by gravity in wastewater saga, according to ag district

VIDEO: What is 2nd Point on the Kern River?

Fallout from Kings County water war continues as state mulls groundwater plan

VIDEO: First Point is a foundational structure under the Law of the River on the Kern

Not so new “newcomer” vies for seat on powerful Kern water board

Subscribe To Our Weekly Newsletter & Get Email Notifications