ARVIN, Calif. (KERO) — Kern County Subbasin's Groundwater Sustainability Plan addresses water quality concerns and potential impacts on agricultural-based communities.
- The new groundwater sustainability plan in Kern County aims to protect beneficial users and achieve sustainability by 2040.
- The plan addresses water quality concerns and subsidence issues.
- Ag-based communities like Arvin may be impacted by the plan, with land being taken out of crop production.
- Access to water will be limited, and fines will be attached to pumping groundwater if the plan goes into probation.
- Urban providers in collaboration with irrigation districts to provide water to communities.
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BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The Kern County Subbasin announced its latest plan addressing groundwater sustainability. According to officials, the new plan will protect beneficial users and achieve groundwater sustainability by 2040.
In 2014, officials say the state of California passed a law requiring local agencies to administer groundwater. In May 2024, the Kern County Groundwater Sustainability Agencies submitted a revamped plan to achieve that goal by 2040.
"The plan is to, ultimately, stabilize water levels," explained Arvin-Edison Water Storage District Engineer Manager Jeevan Muhar. "It addresses water quality concerns and subsidence issues where if you pump too much water into the ground, it will sink."
Muhar says the new plan will protect all beneficial users, including agricultural, domestic, and industrial.
The main concern when it comes to the new plan, however, is the impact it will have on ag-based communities like Arvin.
According to Muhar, the district has approximately 2,000 acres of land where they've built basins.
"As a result of this new plan, we recently purchased another 320 acres and took it out of crop production to save water," said Muhar.
If the plan goes into probation in February 2025, officials say access to water will be limited, and fines will be attached to pumping groundwater, meaning fewer crops and fewer jobs.
"The state was calling for $300 per well and then $20 for every acre-foot of water that's pumped out, and that's every month," said Arvin Community Services District General Manager Raul Barraza Jr.
To help provide water to their respective communities, Barraza says most urban providers are already collaborating with their irrigation districts.
Officials say an outreach event for the plan will take place on Thursday, October 3rd, in McFarland, Bakersfield, and Lamont.
For more information on the new plan or the outreach event, visit www.KernGSP.com.
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