kern county Archives - Page 4 of 7

Drought

Some parks get water, others dead fish – it’s all tied up in drought and Kern River history

September 13, 2022

• by Lois Henry

The drying lakes at the Park at River Walk and along Truxtun Avenue have stirred a lot of controversy over the impact to wildlife but also over what people see as a lopsided division of pain during this very painful drought. Why are City of Bakersfield water features going dry while lakes, a golf course…

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…

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…

SGMA

Desert groundwater agency to pay $8,500 per acre foot for valley water rights

August 2, 2022

• by Lois Henry

The Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority in eastern Kern County has signed a “letter of intent” to buy the rights to 750 acre feet of state water for $6,396,000 from a State Water Project contractor in Kings County. The purchase is part of the authority’s plan to bring that overdrafted groundwater basin into balance. The…

dams

Central Valley’s two major dam projects moving forward

July 27, 2022

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

It’s no simple feat to raise a dam. In fact, it’s taken the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 34 years to get from the first feasibility study to expand the dam at Lake Success in Tulare County to finally getting construction underway. The improvements to Lake Success’ Schafer Dam, named after longtime Tule River watermaster…

Drought

Going, going….water at some of Bakersfield’s most popular parks is almost gone

July 19, 2022

• by Lois Henry

The lake at the Park at River Walk is fast disappearing, as are the Truxtun Lakes and some other city-owned water features. Blame the drought. The City of Bakersfield Water Resources Department has cut off flows to city-owned recreation and water recharge facilities to hold on to what little surface water it’s receiving from the…

Drought

Talkin’ water on KGET Channel 17’s “Kern County In Depth” with Jim Scott – and friends

July 5, 2022

• by Lois Henry

Thanks KGET Channel 17 anchor Jim Scott for including SJV Water CEO Lois Henry on your “Kern County In Depth” show this week to chat about water! CLICK HERE for the “In Depth” version (that means longer…) And here’s the short version:…

SGMA

Another group of Kern County water districts forming their own groundwater agency in face of possible state action

June 29, 2022

• by Lois Henry

A group of water districts clustered on the western edge of Kern County that are currently members of the Kern Groundwater Authority (KGA) announced they will form their own groundwater sustainability agency. The Westside District Water Authority, made up of the Belridge Water Storage District and the Lost Hills and the Berrenda Mesa water districts,…

Drought

Kern County reverses course on ag well permitting

June 24, 2022

• by Lois Henry

In a complete turnaround from its stance earlier this week, Kern County late Thursday dropped its requirement that groundwater agencies make certain findings about proposed new agricultural wells before it would consider issuing permits for those wells. The situation had reached a boiling point in the local ag community as the Kern County Environmental Health…

Drought • SGMA

Drought, groundwater restrictions and – oh yeah, drought – pervade talk at annual Kern water summit

May 19, 2022

• by Lois Henry

Local and state water leaders were practically upbeat two years ago at the last in-person Water Summit put on by the Water Association of Kern County. At least as upbeat as California water folks typically get. They advocated for new ideas, radical partnerships and solutions that could benefit both ag and environmental interests. That was…

NEWS

Some parks get water, others dead fish – it’s all tied up in drought and Kern River history

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

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

Desert groundwater agency to pay $8,500 per acre foot for valley water rights

Central Valley’s two major dam projects moving forward

Going, going….water at some of Bakersfield’s most popular parks is almost gone

Talkin’ water on KGET Channel 17’s “Kern County In Depth” with Jim Scott – and friends

Another group of Kern County water districts forming their own groundwater agency in face of possible state action

Kern County reverses course on ag well permitting

Drought, groundwater restrictions and – oh yeah, drought – pervade talk at annual Kern water summit

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