Category: Media article

Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority board meets Thursday

“The Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority board of directors meets Thursday at 10 a.m. in the Ridgecrest City Council Chambers at Ridgecrest City Hall, 100 W. California Ave.

The board will hear an update from Steve Johnson, president of Stetson Engineers and the Water Resources Manager on the Plan of Action and Milestones, which outlines progress made on the IWVGA’s mandate to create a groundwater sustainability plan for the IWV basin. … ”

Read more from the Ridgecrest Independent here:  Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority board meets Thursday

LA/Inyo Standing Committee covers a lot of ground

“Here are the positive take-aways from Monday’s Standing Committee meeting: Los Angeles’s Green New Deal outlines a pathway for the City to source 70-percent of its water locally by 2035; both members of the Committee, Los Angeles and Inyo County, are open to a second look at changes to the document managing the Lower Owens River Project.

And, finally this one may put an end to rumors, or not, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power isn’t planning on using Owens Valley water to solve Indian Wells’ sustainable water problems. Water spreading in Rose Valley during the heavy 2017 run-off was a one-off. … ”

Read more from the Sierra Wave here:  LA/Inyo Standing Committee covers a lot of ground

Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority PAC talks water modeling

“The Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority Policy Advisory Committee took a look at three water modeling scenarios currently being run for consideration by the groundwater authority and the Technical Advisory Committee on Thursday.

Specifically, the scenarios represent “straw man” hypothetical ways the GA could potentially meet the requirements of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act to form a Groundwater Sustainability Plan and bring the IWV groundwater basin closer to sustainability. … ”

Read more from the Ridgecrest Independent here:  Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority PAC talks water modeling

Experts tell how water availability affects land values

“One of the most frequently recurring themes of last week’s business conference of California agricultural appraisers was the impact the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, known as SGMA, is having on land values.

A packed audience of rural appraisers and other related professionals attended the three-day conference of the California Chapter of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers in Sacramento, where they heard a detailed presentation on agricultural land values by appraisers Janie Gatzman and Tiffany Holmes.

“Everything is all about SGMA these days,” said Gatzman, who runs an appraisal business in Oakdale. … ”

Read more from Ag Alert here:  Experts tell how water availability affects land values

Coachella Valley groundwater levels show`significant increases’

“Groundwater levels throughout most of the Coachella Valley have increased significantly over the past decade, according to an annual analysis released today by the local water district.

The Coachella Valley Water District submitted two annual reports for the 2017-18 water year to the California Department of Water Resources, one on the Indio Subbasin and the other on the Mission Creek Subbasin, which make up most of the valley’s aquifer. … ”

Read more from Channel 3 here:  Coachella Valley groundwater levels show`significant increases’

Cooperation Preserves Pauma Valley Groundwater

Instead of waiting for Yuima Valley’s precious groundwater supplies to dry up, the Yuima Municipal Water District and local farmers are working cooperatively to create a sustainable long-term strategy for maintaining the region’s economy and quality of life by proactively managing the valley’s aquifer. …

Yuima farmers also have relied on groundwater supplies for decades. Crops such as citrus and avocado flourish in the valley, nestled between Palomar Mountain and Valley Center.

But Yuima farmers want a different kind of future than they see unfolding in other groundwater-dependent areas of arid West. … “

Read more from the Water News Network here:   Cooperation Preserves Pauma Valley Groundwater

Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority behind schedule on modeling, hears latest on water importation

“At the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority meeting Thursday, the board heard the latest about its water marketer, the Capital Core Group.  General Manager Don Zdeba reported that since the last board meeting the agreement with Capital Core has been executed and signed.  Water Resources Manager Steve Johnson of Stetson Engineers reported that Stetson has been coordinating with Capital Core as well. … ”

Read more from the Ridgecrest Independent here:  Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority behind schedule on modeling, hears latest on water importation

The Central Valley is sinking as farmers drill for water. But it can be saved, study says

“A team of Stanford University researchers believe they have identified the best way to replenish the shrinking aquifers beneath California’s Central Valley.  The groundwater beneath the Central Valley has been steadily depleting, particularly as the state’s $50 billion agricultural industry relied on it during a series of droughts. Each year, more water exits the aquifer than goes into it. 

The study from Stanford’s School of Earth, Energy and Environmental Sciences, published in the journal Water Resources Research, found that unless action is taken, the ground in that region will sink more than 13 feet over the next 20 years. … ”

Read more from the Sacramento Bee here:  The Central Valley is sinking as farmers drill for water. But it can be saved, study says

Indian Wells Valley Water District talks GSP, updates on improvements

“The Indian Wells Valley Water District took some time during its board meeting Monday night to discuss the Groundwater Authority’s feelings on the approaching deadline for the groundwater sustainability plan while giving general updates on public outreach and bulk water station upgrades.

During a meeting last week, the Groundwater Authority’s policy advisory committee expressed concern with the timing of the completion of the GSP — due to the state by the end of January 2020. … ”

Read more from the Ridgecrest Independent here:  Indian Wells Valley Water District talks GSP, updates on improvements

Groundwater sustainability board backs off fees for rural well owners in Sonoma County

“Facing a wave of opposition over proposed fees for using well water, the directors of a little-known public agency backed away from a decision Thursday and agreed to consider an alternative plan that would exempt rural residents and cost other groundwater users far less overall.

Irate residents blistered the Santa Rosa Groundwater Sustainability Agency’s board of directors with complaints over the inequity and underlying principle of the plan to make residents, ranchers, businesses, towns and cities pay — for the first time — for water pumped out of the ground. … ”

Read more from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat here:  Groundwater sustainability board backs off fees for rural well owners in Sonoma County