fish Archives - SJV Water

Students scramble to study the Kern River as Bakersfield cuts off flows, leaving fish to die en masse

September 4, 2024

• by Lois Henry, SJV Water

The city of Bakersfield announced Tuesday it was cutting back Kern River flows for a maintenance project. But the hundreds of dead and dying fish found Friday near the Stockdale Highway bridge suggest water had already been ratcheted back. It’s unknown when flows through Bakersfield might return. The rapidity of the river’s dewatering and breadth of the…

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Judge keeps Kern River case to just one defendant – the City of Bakersfield

August 6, 2024

• by Lois Henry

Kern County Superior Court Judge Gregory Pulskamp on Tuesday denied the City of Bakersfield’s request to add defendants to the ongoing Kern River lawsuit. The city had asked that several agricultural water districts with rights to Kern River water be added as defendants as opposed to “real parties in interest.” As real parties in interest,…

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Petition asks California’s highest court to wade into Kern River legal fracas

June 12, 2024

• by Lois Henry

Plaintiffs in an ongoing lawsuit over the Kern River filed a petition asking the California Supreme Court to review an order that tossed out an injunction many had anticipated would guarantee a flowing river through Bakersfield. Specifically, the petition asks the Supreme Court to direct the 5th District Court of Appeal to explain why it stayed…

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Rehearing on Kern River rejected by appellate court. Next step could be the California Supreme Court

May 24, 2024

• by Lois Henry

The 5th District Court of Appeal denied a petition Friday to rehear the court’s earlier decision to put a hold on a Kern County court’s order that had required the City of Bakersfield keep enough water in the Kern River for fish to survive. Both plaintiffs in the action have said they will likely petition…

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Kern River combatants sent to their respective corners – for now

May 9, 2024

• by Lois Henry

Further legal action on the Kern River was put on pause Thursday morning following an order by the 5th District Court of Appeal that stayed a local injunction mandating enough water be kept in the river for fish. Kern County Superior Court Judge Gregory Pulskamp said the 5th District’s order that stayed his earlier injunction…

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Judge dismisses two claims, keeps key pieces of Kern River lawsuit intact

February 6, 2024

• by Lois Henry

A motion that challenged four claims made in a lawsuit against the City of Bakersfield over how it operates the Kern River got a half-and-half ruling from Kern County Superior Court Judge Gregory Pulskamp Monday evening. However, the heart of the lawsuit – that Bakersfield breached its duties under the Public Trust Doctrine by dewatering…

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“Where’s the river?” Bakersfield lowers required Kern River flows pending interim flow agreement

January 25, 2024

• by Lois Henry

Required flows down the Kern River channel were lowered by the City of Bakersfield on Monday as officials have collected more data on how much water is actually needed for the river to get west of town, according to an email from the City Water Resources Department. The move is part of a larger effort…

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New Kern River hearing set and the J.G. Boswell Company fears water in the river for fish will jeopardize its massive ag holdings

January 24, 2024

• by Lois Henry

The J.G. Boswell Company fears its agricultural interests – and possibly even the City of Corcoran – could be in jeopardy if water is allowed to remain in the Kern River for fish, according to its request to be admitted as a party to a lawsuit brought by local and statewide public interest groups That’s…

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Repairs to Isabella Dam power plant completed; Kern River flows to ramp back up

January 7, 2024

• by Lois Henry

Repairs to a damaged tunnel inside the power plant at the base of Isabella Dam were completed Saturday, just seven days after the project began, according to an attorney for Water Audit California, a public interest group suing to keep water in the Kern River. Releases from the dam had been reduced to about 100…

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Isabella power plant operators have a plan to make repairs without drying up Kern River

December 29, 2023

• by Lois Henry

Engineers with Isabella Partners, which operates the power plant at the base of Isabella Dam, believe they’ve found a way to make repairs to the plant without drying up the lower Kern River for weeks on end. If successful, water levels will drop from where they are now, but the river won’t go totally dry….

NEWS

Students scramble to study the Kern River as Bakersfield cuts off flows, leaving fish to die en masse

Judge keeps Kern River case to just one defendant – the City of Bakersfield

Petition asks California’s highest court to wade into Kern River legal fracas

Rehearing on Kern River rejected by appellate court. Next step could be the California Supreme Court

Kern River combatants sent to their respective corners – for now

Judge dismisses two claims, keeps key pieces of Kern River lawsuit intact

“Where’s the river?” Bakersfield lowers required Kern River flows pending interim flow agreement

New Kern River hearing set and the J.G. Boswell Company fears water in the river for fish will jeopardize its massive ag holdings

Repairs to Isabella Dam power plant completed; Kern River flows to ramp back up

Isabella power plant operators have a plan to make repairs without drying up Kern River

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