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As companies buy up more valley farmland, the wells get deeper, according to new study

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water
Private companies have been snatching up more and more farmland and drilling deeper wells, according to new research.  A newly published study looked at data from 2003-2017 and showed a drastic increase in limited liability companies (LLCs) buying up farmland throughout the state. It also looked at well drilling in the San Joaquin Valley specifically…
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Fresno farmers have one more day to apply for irrigation project money

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water
Farmers in the Fresno Irrigation District have through February 16 to apply for federal money to pay for irrigation projects on their land.  The WaterSMART program, administered by the Bureau of Reclamation and the National Resources Conservation Service, is sending money to farmers to update water systems and make them more resilient and conservation-focused. The…
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MEETING NOTES: Rosedale-Rio Bravo seeing groundwater levels come up – mostly

• by Sonia Lemus, freelance for SJV Water
* “Kern 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: Rosedale-Rio Bravo Water Storage District board of directors Date: Dec. 12, 2023 Agenda and Board packet: CLICK HERE Major topic:…
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Tule River tribe suffers chronic water problems, even in record wet year

• by Lisa McEwen, SJV Water
Despite a record snowpack that has kept the South Fork of the Tule River flowing at a steady clip, residents of the Tule River Reservation – who get 60 percent of their supplies directly from the river – were recently without water for eight days. The problem, ironically, was too much water. Specifically, from Hurricane…
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Who’s in charge? Unanswered questions spark frustration as weeks of water disruption have dragged into months for residents of Springville

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water
Since the devastating floods of March 10, a community of about 1,000 people has been paying, on average, $150 a month for undrinkable water that is only available intermittently. So far, no government agencies have stepped up to take control of the situation, or give clear answers to residents. Aside from wanting water, residents want…
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New state program aims to help residents before wells go dry in California’s next, inevitable, drought

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water
After two multi-year episodes of intense drought over the past decade, there is finally a centralized hub of resources and information for well owners and communities that suffered when their wells went dry.  Before the most recent drought lifted thanks to this year’s historic winter, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) launched its Be Well…
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It may be a record wet year but the state is still dolling out millions to prep for California’s next drought

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water
Even as some San Joaquin Valley communities still have flood damage to fix, new drought preparedness funding has been awarded by the state. Millions of dollars are going to local groundwater agencies for farmland retirement and repurposing. And some funding will help update infrastructure in small communities.  The state Department of Water Resources announced on…
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Lamont’s water future secured with $25.4 million grant from state drinking water fund

• by Lois Henry
Most Lamont residents likely had no idea that a mini hoopla held in the middle of town Monday morning next to a newly constructed well was actually a celebration of their children’s and their grandchildren’s futures. “This is generational,” said Lamont Public Utilities District General Manager Scott Taylor. “It allows us to provide clean and…
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Kern County reverses course on ag well permitting

• by Lois Henry
In a complete turnaround from its stance earlier this week, Kern County late Thursday dropped its requirement that groundwater agencies make certain findings about proposed new agricultural wells before it would consider issuing permits for those wells. The situation had reached a boiling point in the local ag community as the Kern County Environmental Health…
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