rivers Archives - SJV Water

City of Bakersfield pins blame for dry Kern River on ag districts, tells citizens to go ask them for water

September 11, 2024

• by Lois Henry, SJV Water

More than 20 people showed up at Bakersfield’s City Council meeting Wednesday night to vent their frustration with a suddenly dry Kern River and ask what more the city can do. The city’s response was hat they should go to the ag districts with river rights. After Council Member Andrae Gonzales led a choreographed Q&A…

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Mass fish die off in the suddenly dry Kern River prompts state investigation

September 6, 2024

• by Lois Henry, SJV Water

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is looking into the mass fish die off in the Kern River after the City of Bakersfield cut flows on Tuesday in order to do weir maintenance. “CDFW takes all instances of fish mortality seriously and is investigating what has occurred on the Kern and how it may…

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California Supreme court declines to get involved in meandering Kern River case

August 19, 2024

• by Lois Henry

The California Supreme Court, on Aug. 14, declined to review an objection by plaintiffs in the Kern River lawsuit to a lower court’s ruling that paused an order requiring water flows through Bakersfield. That means the 5th District Court of Appeal will continue toward a hearing on whether the order was appropriate and the other…

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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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Authors advocate generational thinking to manage water in the southern San Joaquin Valley

July 11, 2024

• by Lisa McEwen, SJV Water

Two college buddies who spent a day fly fishing on the Sacramento River came home with more than fish tales. For retired city planners Greg Collins and James Holloway, it prompted a new book, “Seven Generations: The Past, Present and Future of the Tulare Lake Basin,” published in May. This might beg the question, what…

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VIDEO: Beavers reintroduced on the Tule River Reservation

June 28, 2024

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

Beavers were reintroduced to the South Fork Tule River on June 12 thanks to a partnership between the Tule River Tribe and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Tribal leaders started working on a pathway to reintroduce beavers on the reservation a decade ago. After years of research and advocacy, CDFW received funding and…

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Stanford study shows where – and why – recharge is uplifting sunken ground

June 24, 2024

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

New research reveals why some rivers in the San Joaquin Valley are causing the ground to uplift when others aren’t. The answer lies beneath the ground’s surface. A new study from scientists at Stanford University combines satellite data with airborne electromagnetic (AEM) flight data to see exactly what’s happening with recharged water from the Sierra…

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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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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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“Now rain is like a curse.” Storms rekindle the trauma of last year’s floods for many Tulare County residents

February 5, 2024

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water

Residents of Woodlake in Tulare County, traumatized by the devastation of last year’s floods, watched in fear last week as storms dumped water on their town, flooding streets. When his street flooded last week, Joshua Diaz got word while he was at work teaching at Porterville High School. He rushed home to blockade his house…

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City of Bakersfield pins blame for dry Kern River on ag districts, tells citizens to go ask them for water

Mass fish die off in the suddenly dry Kern River prompts state investigation

California Supreme court declines to get involved in meandering Kern River case

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

Authors advocate generational thinking to manage water in the southern San Joaquin Valley

VIDEO: Beavers reintroduced on the Tule River Reservation

Stanford study shows where – and why – recharge is uplifting sunken ground

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

Kern River combatants sent to their respective corners – for now

“Now rain is like a curse.” Storms rekindle the trauma of last year’s floods for many Tulare County residents

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