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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Media Contact: Tracy Leach
(661) 703-5639 | tracy@provconsult.com
December 17, 2024
For Immediate Release
Bakersfield, CA – The Kern County Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) have finalized and approved a coordinated Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP), endorsed by all 20 GSAs. The adopted plan addresses deficiencies previously identified by the California Department of Water Resources and the State Water Resources Control Board. Originally drafted in May 2024, the final version was revised based on feedback from the State Water Resources Control Board staff and public comments. The plan can be found at https://kerngsp.com/gsp-documents/.
Key components of the plan include a coordination agreement among all 20 GSAs in the Kern County Subbasin, a robust domestic well mitigation program, and extensive improvements in technical areas like water quality and subsidence monitoring. All of these enhancements will ensure the sustainable management of groundwater resources in Kern County and avoid potentially undesirable results from excessive groundwater pumping.
“We are very well-coordinated and worked together to address all deficiencies identified by the State, and I am extremely pleased with the collaborative approach that produced this unified plan,” said Derek Yurosek, chair of the Coordination Committee for Kern County Subbasin.
There has been significant effort put into public outreach and transparency regarding the plan. Efforts included the development of a website as a source for public information, targeted workshops with key stakeholder groups, and informational materials distributed at public events such as the Water Day at the Kern County Fair, water district events, community services district events, and more.
The plan, which is supported by 35 water agencies and community service districts within the Kern County Subbasin, includes the revised sustainable management criteria (SMCs) while reflecting a collaborative approach and a clear path towards achieving long-term sustainability.
“We are proud that the 2024 Kern County Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Plan is a unified document developed using the best available science that will guide us towards a sustainable future for all, including our disadvantaged communities. Being a small CSD in a disadvantaged area with a seat at the table, we feel represented and protected. We urge the State Water Resources Control Board to approve this plan and support its implementation.,” added Raul Barraza, Jr., General Manager, Arvin Community Services District.
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Tracy Leach or Isabelle Guillory
(661) 703-5639
December 3, 2024
For Immediate Release
BAKERSFIELD – Yesterday, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced that the State Water Project (SWP) initial water allocation is five percent of contracted amounts. This means fewer than 50,000 acre-feet of water would be delivered to Kern County water users from the SWP in 2025—compared to the contracted amount of about one million acre-feet.
“The devastatingly low initial allocation is very concerning for Kern County residents, farms and businesses given the hydrology of the last two years,” said Kern County Water Agency (Agency) Board of Directors President Ted Page. “It’s unfortunate that DWR was so conservative with the initial allocation. While we appreciate the challenges they face, balancing environmental regulations with water operations, we ask that they don’t lose sight of the primary purpose of the SWP, which is to deliver water to its customers.”
The Agency contracts with DWR for approximately one million acre-feet of SWP water and despite receiving only a five percent allocation of SWP water supplies, the Agency and its participant local water districts are still contractually obligated to make their full operations and maintenance payment.
“A five percent allocation is incredibly disappointing and provides no hope for replenishment of groundwater banking reserves that provide agricultural and urban water during low allocation years,” said Page.
Agency staff are working with local water districts to find ways to minimize the impacts of a potential drier than average year. Stewardship and conservation are always important, especially when water supplies are critically low. Agricultural water-use efficiency has been a high priority in Kern County for decades. However, conservation alone cannot solve California’s long-term water supply issues. The current low allocation underscores the importance of addressing California’s chronic water supply reliability issues through new water supply infrastructure, including conveyance and storage.
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The Kern County Water Agency (Agency) was created in 1961 by a special act of the State Legislature and serves as the local contracting entity for the State Water Project. The Agency, which celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2021, participates in a wide scope of management activities, including water quality, flood control and groundwater operations to preserve and enhance Kern County’s water supply—the main ingredient for the well-being of an economy.
Water testing shows no detections in treated water supply, ongoing monitoring in place.
BAKERSFIELD, Calif.—June 9, 2023—After an unknown substance was discovered in the Kern River, Kern County and Bakersfield officials, along with local water utilities that receive water from the river, have been working together to determine the cause, mitigate the issue, and confirm drinking water quality is not impacted.
“We tested water samples immediately after this was reported, and public health experts at the State Water Resources Control Board’s Division of Drinking Water confirmed there was no acute risk to public health,” said David Beard, Kern County Water Agency Improvement District No. 4 (ID4) Manager. “As such, the agencies have been working together since then to understand the scope of the situation and assist wherever possible in order to resolve it. In addition, ongoing, follow-up testing shows no detections of the substance in the treated water.”
The substance, which has been identified as including trace amounts of diesel hydrocarbons, was first noticed in the Kern River last week. ID4, the City of Bakersfield, Bakersfield Fire Department, and California Water Service (Cal Water) took immediate steps to test the water, conduct aerial and ground investigations, and remove the substance with absorbent booms. The agencies coordinated closely with Kern County Public Health and other local water providers, including East Niles Community Services District and North of the River Municipal Water District/Oildale Mutual Water Company. All water providers continue to monitor to confirm their treated water remains safe to use and drink.
“Protecting our customers’ health and safety is our highest priority, and we took a number of steps as a precautionary measure to reduce our intake from the Kern River. Additionally, the water is treated before it enters the distribution system, and our regular water quality testing regimen would have identified if there were any issues arising from this situation that affected the water being delivered to customers,” said Tammy Johnson, District Manager of Cal Water’s Bakersfield District, which also operates the City of Bakersfield system. “We will continue to monitor our systems and would inform our customers immediately if there is ever any acute risk to public health.”
“Although there is no acute risk to public health, in the spirit of transparency, the coordinating agencies all believed it was important to notify the public of the situation and efforts to resolve it,” said Joe Conroy, City of Bakersfield Public Information Officer. “We will continue to work together until the issue in the river has been resolved.”
Officials ask that if anyone saw or knows of an unusual event in the Kern River near the Hart Park area recently that may have caused this situation, please contact Kern County Public Health at eh@kerncounty.com or the City of Bakersfield at prevention@bakersfieldfire.us.
• Kern County Public Health, Michelle Corson, 661-868-0288, corsonm@kerncounty.com
• Kern County Water Agency, Tracy Leach, 661-327-1698, tracy@provconsult.com
• City of Bakersfield, Joe Conroy, 661-326-3074, jconroy@bakersfieldcity.us
• Bakersfield Fire Department, Tim Ortiz, 661-326-3688, tortiz@bakersfieldfire.us
• California Water Service, Tammy Johnson, 661-837-7200, tajohnson@calwater.com
• East Niles Community Services District, Tim Ruiz, 661-871-2011, truiz@eastnilescsd.org
• North of the River Municipal Water District/Oildale Mutual Water Company, Ryan Nunneley, 661-399-5516, rnunneley@oildalewater.com
