NEWS

by Lisa McEwen and Lois Henry, SJV Water
The state postponed the Kaweah groundwater region’s Nov. 5 probationary hearing until Jan. 7, 2025, according to an announcement at a “state of the subbasin” event held June 19 to answer questions about what probation would mean. “We have some good news for you this afternoon and we could all use some good news,” Mark…
Tulare County residents who want to express their opinions about possible state intervention in groundwater management to members of the State Water Board will have a chance to do so next week. State water board staff will hold two public workshops June 24 (virtual) and June 27 (in person) in Visalia to explain its draft…
Fireworks were already popping between board members of a key Tulare County groundwater agency recently over an 11th hour attempt to rein in pumping in the severely overdrafted area. The main issue at the Eastern Tule Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) meeting June 6 was whether to require farmers in subsidence prone areas to install meters…
by Hannah Frances Johansson, freelance for SJV Water
Clarification: The farmers’ lawsuit alleges the county conducted a Proposition 218 election improperly. The original version of this article was unclear on the lawsuit’s main complaint.   The end of a two-year legal fight over who should pay, and how much, to replenish the groundwater beneath Madera County could be in sight. A motion to…
A lengthy complaint alleging secretive, self-dealing on the part of a prominent farmer and board member on a key Tulare County groundwater agency slogged through a Fair Political Practices Commission investigation over the past four years resulting in, essentially, a slap on the wrist late last month. Eric L. Borba, former chair of the Eastern…
Cover crops could be an important tool in groundwater management but are being unintentionally disincentivized by groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs,) according to a new study.  GSAs haven’t done enough analysis or incentivization of cover crops, according to authors of the study. In fact, the study suggests some GSAs are putting a negative spin on the…
Meeting: North Kern Water Storage District board of directors. Date: May 22, 2024 Agenda and board packet: CLICK HERE Main topic: Submission of a revamped groundwater sustainability plan for the Kern subbasin to the state Water Resources Control Board to avoid probation. Background: Two previous groundwater plans for the Kern subbasin were rejected by the…
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