Kern County Supervisors discuss groundwater management bills AB 1413 and AB 1466

Desert groundwater feud commandeers Kern County legislative policy debate

All of the drama and vitriol of a long-running groundwater feud in the high desert played out before the Kern County Board of Supervisors – albeit in muted form –

Bring Back the Kern v. City of Bakersfield: Surface vs. Groundwater Regulation Post-SGMA

Introduction, Bring Back the Kern v. City of Bakersfield The California Court of Appeal’s recent decision in Bring Back the Kern v. City of Bakersfield, 2025 WL 984395 (BBK), provides an instructive lens for understanding the evolving interplay between surface water diversions and groundwater regulation under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). Although BBK was not decided specifically on SGMA grounds—focusing instead on Fish and …

LOIS HENRY: Desert groundwater feud commandeers Kern County legislative policy debate

All of the drama and vitriol of a long-running groundwater feud in the high desert played out before the Kern County Board of Supervisors — albeit in muted form — on Monday as supervisors considered whether to support a pair…

Kern County Supervisors discuss groundwater management bills AB 1413 and AB 1466

The Kern County Board of Supervisors responds to groundwater-related bills aiming to streamline adjudication processes and clarify court roles. Kern County Board of Supervisors reviewed AB 1413 and AB 1466 related to groundwater management. AB 1413 proposes alignment of groundwater adjudication with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. AB 1466 seeks to clarify judicial roles in reviewing Groundwater Sustainability Agencies' actions. The B…

Desert groundwater feud commandeers Kern County legislative policy debate – SJV Water

All of the drama and vitriol of a long-running groundwater feud in the high desert played out before the Kern County Board of Supervisors – albeit in muted form – on Monday as supervisors considered whether to support a pair of bills aimed at clarifying and limiting the courts’ role in specific water lawsuits. The lengthy meeting, at times, strayed into the sort of finger pointing that has become common during meetings of the Indian Wells Valley…