Kern River Status Update
As the summer season begins to wind down, the following changes are expected. These dates are subject to change depending on Kern River flow and fluctuations in grower demand.
Eastside Canal: All deliveries are State Water effective August 16. The Eastside Canal is expected to remain in operation through the end of the month.
Stine Service Area: All deliveries are State Water as of August 7. Deliveries to the Stine Service Area are expected continue through the end of the month.
Buena Vista Service Area: Deliveries to the Buena Vista Service Area are expected continue through the end of the month. (Note: The canal itself may stay active beyond that date to meet Kern Island Utility demand at the southern end of the system)
Farmers Service Area: Deliveries to the Farmers Utility are expected continue through the end of the month.
New 2024 Groundwater Sustainability Plan Paves the Way to Groundwater Sustainability in the Kern County Subbasin
In May 2024, the Kern County Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) submitted a new Groundwater Sustainability Plan (2024 GSP) to the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). The 2024 GSP comprehensively addresses deficiencies identified by the Department of Water Resources (DWR) in prior plans and incorporates feedback from SWRCB staff. The 2024 GSP is the product of hundreds of collaborative meetings between technical and policy representatives from all Subbasin GSAs and also incorporates SWRCB staff feedback.
The Kern Subbasin GSAs developed the 2024 GSP to comply with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), which was enacted in 2014 and gave local agencies new authorities to manage groundwater. Under SGMA, GSAs must develop and implement a GSP that will achieve sustainable groundwater management by 2040.
In March 2023, DWR deemed the Kern Subbasin’s 2020 and 2022 GSPs inadequate, resulting in the transfer of regulatory oversight to the SWRCB pending correction of the deficiencies identified by the DWR. The new 2024 GSP corrects the deficiencies.
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