Photo of the Kern County Subbasin provided by the State Water Resources Control Board.
The Kern County groundwater basin is facing a critical threat as water is being pumped faster than it can be replenished, jeopardizing both drinking water and irrigation supplies. With the state’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) pushing for more stringent protections, local agencies are now under pressure to revise their groundwater sustainability plans, or risk state intervention that could lead to costly consequences.
“The Kern County groundwater basin is critically overdrafted. This threatens groundwater levels and drinking water quality. It also causes the land surface to sink, potentially damaging infrastructure, and can cause streams and rivers to go dry,” the State Water Resources Control Board (Board) wrote in a fact sheet about Kern County’s groundwater.
SGMA requires local agencies to develop and implement groundwater sustainability plans that protect and manage groundwater resources for all uses and users. And, according to the Department of Water Resources (DWR), the plan for the Kern County basin needs to be revised and do more to protect local groundwater resources as it currently does not do enough to protect groundwater resources for the future.
As the DWR has referred the Kern County basin to the Board for review, a public process will now determine whether the basin should be placed on probation. In a probationary basin, some groundwater pumpers must collect and report pumping data and pay fees to the Board. During this probationary period, local agencies must improve their groundwater sustainability plans.
To ensure a collaborative effort, the Board emphasized the importance of public participation. “As someone who relies on groundwater in the Kern County basin, you have a voice in the Board’s decision-making process. Sharing your comments can help shape the recommendations that staff will provide to the Board and help it decide if the Kern County basin needs to be put on probation and, if so, what improvements to the basin’s plan should happen to better manage groundwater in your area,” the Board wrote.
In July 2024, State Water Board staff released the Probationary Hearing Draft Staff Report. This describes the staff recommendations for the Board to consider. Staff will also hold two public workshops before the hearing to explain the Draft Staff Report and provide additional information on how to participate in the state intervention process.
This report highlights severe deficiencies in the basin’s current groundwater management, such as inconsistent data collection, inadequate measures to address the chronic lowering of groundwater levels, and the lack of a unified approach among the various Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) in the region.
The first public workshop will be held on August 26 from 11:00 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. on Zoom with the following link: https://waterboards.zoom.us/j/95481583017. The call-in number is 646-568-7788. The meeting ID is 95481583017.
The second public workshop will be on August 29 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Liberty Hall at Hodel’s Country Dining in Bakersfield.
Spanish and Punjabi interpretations will be provided at both workshops.
