English | Español

Facebook-f Twitter Linkedin-in Instagram
Login
Donate
Search

NEWS

“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…
Read More

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…
Read More

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…
Read More

Kings County judge rules state overstepped by requiring farmers to meter, report groundwater extractions

• by Lisa McEwen, SJV Water
The first steps toward possible state control of groundwater pumping in Kings County were derailed under a ruling issued July 15 that said the Water Resources Control Board had overstepped its bounds by requiring meters on wells. The temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction were issued by Kings County Superior Court Judge Kathy Ciuffini in…
Read More

New(ish) Kern groundwater authority gets underway

• by Lois Henry
A somewhat new groundwater authority held its first meeting Monday with a mandate to represent Kern County lands not covered by existing water districts. The so-called “non-districted lands” within the Kern subbasin (the San Joaquin Valley portion of Kern) had sort of been previously represented by the Kern Groundwater Authority KGA. But the KGA has…
Read More

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…
Read More

Protecting domestic wells a key piece of southern Fresno County groundwater agency’s planning

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water
CONTENT USE: Republication, or broadcast, of SJV Water content is allowed with use of the reporter’s byline and publication name, SJV Water, and the following tagline: SJV Water is an independent, nonprofit news site covering water in the San Joaquin Valley, www.sjvwater.org. Reach us at sjvwater@sjvwater.or                  …
Read More

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…
Read More

Okieville water recharge project a “poster child” of partnership to protect residential water

• by Lisa McEwen, SJV Water
More than 40 engineers, landowners, water officials and drinking water advocates gathered along the banks of a full, flowing canal in Tulare County Thursday to inaugurate the Okieville Recharge Basin. But the first order of business on the hot summer day was snow cones.  The 21-acre project is a “poster child” of partnership that will…
Read More
Sponsored

Receive the latest news

Don't miss a drop of water news!

Sign up to get our weekly newsletter ‘The Splash’, plus instant news alerts directly to your inbox.