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Effects of water scarcity, regulations discussed at State of Kings County event

• by Monserrat Solis, California Local News Fellow
Editor’s note: Monserrat Solis covers Kings County water issues for SJV Water through the California Local News Fellowship initiative.  Regulatory challenges and increasing water demands are shifting pressures and creating fierce resource competition in the San Joaquin Valley that will affect Kings County’s future, according to one speaker at the State of Kings County event…
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Accusations of “extortion” and “bullying” fly in dispute over who should pay for sinking the Friant-Kern Canal

• by Lisa McEwen, SJV Water
A last-resort attempt to shore up funding for ongoing Friant-Kern Canal repairs has run into a buzzsaw of opposition from several irrigation districts that were stuck with the bill – up to $295 million. A letter disputing the fees accuses the Friant Water Authority, which operates the canal, of, among other things, extortion. “What would…
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Westlands Water District teams up with democrats on massive solar project

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water
The powerful, and politically right-leaning Westlands Water District recently teamed up with left-leaning democratic assemblymember Esmeralda Soria on renewable energy.  Her bill, AB 2661, was signed by Governor Gavin Newsom last month and will allow Westlands in western Fresno County  to oversee the generation, storage and transmission of solar energy.  Within Westlands, about 130,000 acres…
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MEETING NOTES: Kern groundwater agencies want to push back subbasin’s probation hearing date

• by Sonia Lemus, freelance for SJV Water
Meeting: Rosedale-Rio Bravo Water Storage District board of directors Date: October 8, 2024 Agenda and Board packet: CLICK HERE Kern subbasin hopes to push back groundwater hearing date Dan Bartel, Rosedale-Rio Bravo’s engineer-manager, informed the board that the Kern subbasin is looking to push back the February 20th hearing date before the state Water Resources…
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State grilling prompts Tulare County groundwater agency to make changes

• by Lisa McEwen, SJV Water
The Eastern Tule Groundwater Sustainability Agency board took several actions at a recent meeting following a severe grilling by state Water Resources Control Board members during the region’s probation hearing on Sept. 17. Board members called subsidence in Eastern Tule’s borders “alarming” and said its groundwater accounting and allocation methods “don’t make sense.” The board…
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Madera County farmland conversion program gets underway with $10 million in state funds

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water
Land owners can now officially submit proposals to Madera County to convert their ag land to less water intensive uses under a new program adopted by the Board of Supervisors Tuesday using $10 million in state funds.  The money comes from the state’s Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program, which aims to reduce reliance on groundwater by…
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A full day of Kern groundwater plan meetings set for Oct. 3

• by Lois Henry, SJV Water
Kern County water managers will hold a full day of public meetings around the county on Thursday to explain and answer questions about the revamped Kern subbasin groundwater plan. The document lays out Kern’s groundwater situation now and how water managers plan to improve water tables and keep them stable into the future. Meetings will…
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State appeals Kings County judge’s groundwater injunction

• by Monserrat Solis, California Local News Fellow
Editor’s note: Monserrat Solis covers Kings County water issues for SJV Water through the California Local News Fellowship initiative. The state Water Resources Control Board announced Monday it is appealing a Kings County judge’s preliminary injunction that has forced the state to hold off on measures intended to corral excessive groundwater pumping in the region….
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