California Farming Region Placed on Water Probation
With California Ag Today, I am Haylie Shipp. This is the Ag Information Network.
Big movement – or should I say a big push to not move – when it comes to California’s water. The Los Angeles Times is now reporting that, for the first time, California water regulators are cracking down on one of the state’s major farming regions for failing to take steps to curb what they say is growers’ excessive groundwater pumping.
That vote came Tuesday out of the State Water Resources Council and has resulted in the Tulare Lake basin being put on “probationary” status.
From courthousenews.com, the probationary status imposes reporting requirements and a fee structure. It also sets the stage for the local water agencies to implement recommendations from water board staff, improve their sustainability plan and be removed from probation.
Users will have a few months to prepare with the new reporting requirements going into effect mid-July. The decision came after a day-long hearing which included public comment.
Want more? Check out these resources:
Los Angeles Times: https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2024-04-16/california-tulare-lake-groundwater-probation
Courthouse News Service: https://www.courthousenews.com/california-state-water-board-places-tulare-lake-subbasin-on-probation/
