Kern River Archives - Page 2 of 15

New Kern County groundwater bank gets underway with another shot of public funding

April 3, 2024

• by Lois Henry

The $171 million Kern Fan Groundwater Storage project – with a unique “eco-twist” – received another chunk of public funding just as the first section of the 1,300-acre project had a formal christening on Wednesday. Officials with Rosedale-Rio Bravo Water Storage District, Irvine Ranch Water District and the Bureau of Reclamation gathered at the project…

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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

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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MEETING NOTES: Bakersfield accrued the most Kern River water last year since buying its river rights in 1976

February 26, 2024

• by Sonia Lemus, freelance for SJV Water

* “Meeting Notes” is a new feature focused on Kern County water districts, funded through a grant from the James B. McClatchy Foundation. Please consider supporting SJV Water to continue this important coverage. Meeting: City of Bakersfield Water board of directors Date: February 21, 2024. Agenda and Packet: CLICK HERE Operations Report: City of Bakersfield…

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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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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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Judge leans toward dismissing some – but not key – actions in ongoing Kern River lawsuit

January 31, 2024

• by Lois Henry

Kern County Superior Court Judge Gregory Pulskamp let the battalion of attorneys in court Wednesday know he was inclined to drop at least one cause of action in the ongoing lawsuit brought by several public interest groups against the City of Bakersfield for dewatering the Kern River. But he likely won’t dismiss one of the…

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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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Water continues to be a driving force in Kern ag land values – and not in a good way

January 24, 2024

• by Lois Henry

The latest report on agricultural land valuations in Kern County shows water security continues to be a driving force and the direction is mostly downward. Alliance Ag Services LLC, a brokerage and appraisal firm, has been tracking the value of farmland in Kern County by water source, or sources, for nearly two decades. For about…

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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…

NEWS

New Kern County groundwater bank gets underway with another shot of public funding

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

MEETING NOTES: Bakersfield accrued the most Kern River water last year since buying its river rights in 1976

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

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

Judge leans toward dismissing some – but not key – actions in ongoing Kern River lawsuit

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

Water continues to be a driving force in Kern ag land values – and not in a good way

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

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