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“Groundhog day meets purgatory.” The tale of the sinking Tule subbasin

• by Lois Henry
When you’re done, you’re done. And the Delano-Earlimart Irrigation District Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) is done. The district recently issued its new groundwater plan — purposely without coordination among the other groundwater agencies in the Tule subbasin. In the San Joaquin Valley water world, that’s the equivalent of going rogue. Especially as the Tule subbasin…
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Kern subbasin’s third try at groundwater plan fails to avert state enforcement action

• by Lois Henry
Noting that Kern County residents could suffer “urgent impacts” to their drinking water from continued agricultural groundwater overpumping, staff at the state Water Resources Control Board announced Thursday they are recommending the entire Kern subbasin be put on probation. Probation is the first step toward a possible state pumping take over. A hearing before the…
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Ag districts to fund water projects, and more, in several disadvantaged west Fresno County communities

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water
Four large agricultural water districts have kicked in an initial $580,000 to pay for water projects in several communities dotting the vast farming areas of western Fresno County. The funding amount will remain the same until the districts revisit the program in three years.  The four districts – Central California Irrigation District, Firebaugh Canal Water…
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Kern County farmland values continue downward slide

• by Lois Henry
Farmland valuations continued their downward trajectory in Kern County, in some cases dropping  a whopping 47.6% over the first six months of 2024, according to the second quarter Kern County Ag Land Values report put out by brokerage firm Alliance Ag Services LLC. Some farmland has dropped back to, or even below, 2005 prices. “I…
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State celebrates five years and secure water for hundreds of thousands of Californians thanks to the SAFER drinking water program

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water
State officials, advocates and residents gathered in Porterville on Monday to celebrate the five-year mark of a state drinking water program born of the crippling 2012-2016 drought. That’s when the entire community of east Porterville went dry – for months. There was no government program available to help and nonprofits could only do so much….
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MEETING NOTES: Fish discos, magic water murals and subbasin updates

• by Sonia Lemus, freelance for SJV Water
Meetings: Rosedale Rio-Bravo Water Storage District Board of Directors Arvin-Edison board of directors Cawelo Water District Board of Directors    Date: July 9 through 11, 2024 Rosedale Rio-Bravo Packet: CLICK HERE Arvin Edison Agenda: CLICK HERE Cawelo Agenda: CLICK HERE   “Fish disco” projects praised At the Rosedale Rio-Bravo Water District meeting, water resources manager…
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VIDEO: Beavers reintroduced on the Tule River Reservation

• 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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