Among the more persistent myths about water in the San Joaquin Valley, none is more durable than the canard that water shortages and land subsidence have been caused by, “an innumerable myriad of Endangered Species Act-related laws, mandates, opinions, rulings and settlements.” This latest addition to the catalogue of misinformation comes from Kristi Diener, in an OP/ED for the Modesto and Fresno Bee newspapers. Diener, like everyone else who attempts […]
San Joaquin Valley groundwater
Will the Valley Run Out of Fresh Water?
With record rain and snowfall in the winter of 2018-2019, many people are no longer worried about the water supply. The drought is over for now and reserves are growing in lakes and reservoirs. Nevertheless, recent concerns about water are no less relevant today than they were before our winter rains. Ron Myers monitors wells for farms throughout the San Joaquin Valley. Although we have plenty of water this year, when […]
The Hidden Truth about Valley Water
The recent deluge throughout Northern California has caused equal parts celebration and outrage. Celebration because it would appear to some the drought is over and outrage because those same celebrants are demonizing anyone who says we’re still in a water emergency. As always, the favored targets for righteous indignation are the government and, “those in environmental groups.” “Why would the state water board tell us we’re still in drought?’ asked […]
Water, History, and the Environment: Part II
History? Not around here… “Like most environmentalists, they want it all,” said Oakdale Irrigation District (OID) General Manager Steve Knell recently when discussing water rights along the Stanislaus River. Though absurd on the face of it, Knell’s claim represents a widespread belief throughout the San Joaquin Valley, where environmental illiteracy and historical amnesia have enabled private appropriation of public resources since the days of the gold rush. The simple fact […]
Dr. Kennedy: Water and Drought in the Valley
Dr. Vance Kennedy has received the Distinguished Service Award from the Environmental Protection Agency for his work with the U.S. Geological Survey. Now in his nineties, Dr. Kennedy maintains an active interest in water and land use issues in California and especially in the San Joaquin Valley. The following essay represents some of his latest thoughts on water and the drought. The immediate problem posed by the drought is to […]
California Fails on Groundwater
It didn’t take long for elation to turn to dismay after state legislators approved regulations on groundwater. If Governor Brown signs off, California will become the last state to enact groundwater rules. Sort of. In fact, all the fuss about groundwater has done is establish more firmly Big Ag’s unshakeable grip on water policy. The tell is in the state’s requirement that counties achieve groundwater “sustainability” by 2040. From today, […]
Water Grab in the Foothills? Yes!
Dr. Vance Kennedy is a long time champion of farmers and farmland. Along with Wood Colony’s Jake Wenger and Modesto’s Denny Jackman, Dr. Kennedy is sponsoring an urban limits initiative that would protect prime farmland around Modesto. Like many Valley citizens, Dr. Kennedy is alarmed at intensive groundwater mining in the foothills of eastern Stanislaus County. His background as an award-winning hydrologist enables him to offer authoritative analysis of the […]
Dr. Kennedy’s Groundwater Fact List
The groundwater crisis in the San Joaquin Valley is especially critical. In Stanislaus County, tens of thousands of acres of new almond orchards have put a tremendous demand on groundwater, causing concern for the future of the aquifer. Many residential wells have run dry, yet thus far county supervisors have failed to take action. On June 28, Stanislaus County Supervisor Terry Withrow was quoted as saying, “We’ve got to stick […]
Will Supervisors Pass the Water Test?
To hear the Modesto Bee tell it, Stanislaus County Supervisors’ attempts to formulate a groundwater policy are explorations into terra incognita: “Being first can make you the focus of a lot of attention. That’s just one of the reasons Stanislaus County’s efforts to deal with water issues are important. We’re among the first in the Valley coming to grips with finding and supplying enough water to keep agriculture not just […]
Why California Groundwater Policy Must Change
It’s often said that California is the only state that doesn’t regulate groundwater, but that’s not exactly true. In California, one rule always applies. Though unwritten, it exists in the form of dogma more powerful than words graven in stone: Any official, at any level, whenever speaking of groundwater, must assert emphatically that local control is the best of all possible alternatives. No matter that history, science, and current realities […]