injunction Archives

Dead fish piling up in pockets along the western reach of the Kern River concern Bakersfield residents; may prompt return to court

March 22, 2024

• by Lois Henry

After taking a bike ride along the Kern River recently, Bakersfield resident Jonathan Vegas was dismayed by what he found the farther west he pedaled. “More of the river has dried up, and the smell of death goes on for miles from the dead fish carcasses throughout the riverbed,” he wrote in an email. “It’s…

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Dead end river: Fish carcasses starting to pile up in stagnant pools at the Kern River’s western end

February 16, 2024

• by Lois Henry

Avid cyclist and angler Jonathan Vegas was thrilled last fall when he read that a local judge had issued an injunction requiring the City of Bakersfield to keep enough water in the Kern River to support fish populations. “It’s a dream of mine to be able to leave my backyard, take a two mile trip…

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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 repairs postponed to protect Kern River fish flows – for now

December 15, 2023

• by Lois Henry

Work on a power plant at the base of Isabella Dam has been postponed while plant owners and several public interest groups look for a solution to keep enough water in the Kern River to protect fish. “We are not proceeding on the 18th and are working to find a solution that works for everyone,”…

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Isabella Dam power plant repairs could cut Kern River flows causing a “massive fish kill”

December 4, 2023

• by Lois Henry

Anticipated repairs to the power plant at the base of Isabella Dam could cause a “massive fish kill” along the length of the Kern River as flows would have to be cut to almost nothing for weeks. Isabella Partners, which operates that power plant, submitted a request to the Army Corps of Engineers to cut…

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Kern River battles continue as ag districts accuse Bakersfield of pulling off a historic “water heist”

November 21, 2023

• by Lois Henry

If anyone thought a recent court order mandating 40% of the Kern River’s flow remain in the river for fish was the end of the story, think again. Agricultural water districts are striking back. Not at the fish. But at what they say is an historic water heist by the City of Bakersfield. On Tuesday,…

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Kern River legal wrangling raises questions about how – or whether – the river can serve the needs of people, fish and ag

October 13, 2023

• by Lois Henry

Kern County Superior Court Judge Gregory Pulskamp came back several times during an Oct. 13 hearing to what he saw as a “major issue” in the dispute over keeping water in the Kern River – its plumbing. The plaintiffs, a group of entities headed by Bring Back the Kern, have argued that water could flow…

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Dead fish piling up in pockets along the western reach of the Kern River concern Bakersfield residents; may prompt return to court

Dead end river: Fish carcasses starting to pile up in stagnant pools at the Kern River’s western end

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

Isabella power plant repairs postponed to protect Kern River fish flows – for now

Isabella Dam power plant repairs could cut Kern River flows causing a “massive fish kill”

Kern River battles continue as ag districts accuse Bakersfield of pulling off a historic “water heist”

Kern River legal wrangling raises questions about how – or whether – the river can serve the needs of people, fish and ag

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