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NEWS

A space-age tool aims to bring water use down to Earth

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water reporting intern
New satellite technology could be a critical piece to the future of water trading in the San Joaquin Valley, according to those working on the tech. OpenET, an online platform that uses satellite imagery to estimate how much water is used by different crops, launched publicly on October 21. The platform is already being tested…
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Kings County groundwater plan raising questions

• by Lois Henry
It’s hard to imagine state officials giving the thumbs up to a groundwater sustainability plan that potentially allows Corcoran – California’s subsidence epicenter – to sink up to another 11 feet. Especially considering the tiny, rural town was forced to spend $14 million in 2017 to rebuild its levees following the 2012-16 drought when it…
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March for the Kern River

• by Lois Henry
About 30 hardy souls marched the length of the dry Kern River bed — nine miles — from near Manor Street in east Bakersfield all the way to Stockdale Highway Saturday morning to protest the lack of water in the river. At the start of the hike, the group filled bottles and jugs with water…
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UPDATE: Popular I-5 oasis has a line on water but will have to pay

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water reporting intern
Kettleman City needs $375,000 to keep from going dry, possibly as early as the end of next month. The popular pitstop along Interstate 5 in Kings County between Los Angeles and San Francisco needs 214 acre feet to supply residents and keep its raft of gas stations and fast food joints open. But in this…
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Inaugural Southern Sierra Film Festival kicks off Sunday

• by Lois Henry
The first ever Southern Sierra Film Festival will launch at the Kern County Museum Sunday, Nov. 14, from 5 to 10 p.m. The festival aims to celebrate the “unique natural resources” of the southern Sierra mountain communities, according to the group’s website. The group hopes to inspire future conservationists and  film makers and to “spread…
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How ag’s footprint has changed since the last drought

• by Lois Henry
In the world of farming, not all crops are equal. That is starkly apparent when looking at how crops changed in the central and southern San Joaquin Valley since the beginning of the last drought, according to county crop reports. While most counties saw reductions in overall harvested acres between 2012 and 2020, they also…
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VIDEO: The uncertain future of valley farmland

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water reporting intern
Valley farmers have relied on groundwater for generations. That is changing under the state’s new Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, SGMA, that mandates aquifers be brought into balance by 2040. That means more water can’t be pumped out than is recharged into the aquifer. Pumping restrictions could mean significant portions of the valley’s farmland will have…
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New Kern River Watermaster in the wings

• by Lois Henry
It appears a new Kern River Watermaster will be chosen to replace Dana Munn, whose contract winds up at the end of this year. If he’s officially approved by all the voting members of the “river interests,” Mark Mulkay will likely become the fourth ever Kern River Watermaster. He said he’s discussed it with all…
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River march

• by Lois Henry
A march to bring awareness to the Kern River will take place November 13 in the dry river bed through Bakersfield. Local nonprofit Bring Back the Kern is organizing the protest march ahead of a hearing on the Kern River by the state Water Resources Control Board. That hearing will be held online Dec. 9….
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