groundwater plans Archives - Page 2 of 3

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

Federal System • Friant-Kern Canal • Groundwater

Friant-Kern Canal fix approved over concerns the plan isn’t fully baked

October 28, 2020

• by Lois Henry

The Friant Water Authority on Thursday approved the final environmental review for a massive project to fix a 33-mile segment of the Friant-Kern Canal despite continued questions about funding and other concerns expressed by some Friant contractors. One water manager compared the plan to several bungled construction projects, including California’s High Speed Rail and a…

Federal System • Friant-Kern Canal • Groundwater

20-mile replacement canal is preferred fix for the sagging Friant-Kern Canal

September 19, 2020

• by Lois Henry

A rapid-fire review of potential fixes to the Friant-Kern Canal favors building a replacement canal for 20 miles alongside the existing canal where land subsidence has caused it to sag, severely restricting water flow, according to final environmental documents released Friday. The environmental documents, which looked at the project under both state and federal environmental…

Conservation • Groundwater • Water Markets

Evaporation adds up. How much? Google it – someday

September 17, 2020

• by Lois Henry

There are lots of new water gizmos popping up these days but there’s only one Google. Which makes the massive tech company’s involvement in a proposed water measurement tool both intriguing and slightly suspicious to some agricultural water managers. The same goes for another partner in the effort, the Environmental Defense Fund, a well-known advocacy…

Groundwater

Desert water basin hopes to dive into California water market

August 25, 2020

• by Lois Henry

If you’ve got water for sale, the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority has $50 million to spend. Or, it will once it starts collecting a controversial, five-year, $2,000-per-acre-foot pumping fee that was approved by the authority last week. Specifically, the desert groundwater basin about 100 miles northeast of Bakersfield in the Mojave Desert, is looking…

NEWS

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

California water “stockings” stuffed with federal money

Proposed agreement could boost funds to fix Friant-Kern Canal

Quest for water in the Kern River continues

New land trust focused on groundwater aims to give farmers options

Madera groundwater plan accepted by state

Friant-Kern Canal fix approved over concerns the plan isn’t fully baked

20-mile replacement canal is preferred fix for the sagging Friant-Kern Canal

Evaporation adds up. How much? Google it – someday

Desert water basin hopes to dive into California water market

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