2024 Annual Meeting
Kern Subbasin SGMA Probationary Hearing Date set
The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) released the probationary hearing notice and Draft Staff Report for the Kern County Subbasin for public comment. The purpose of the Draft Staff Report is to inform the State Water Board as it considers whether to designate the Kern County Subbasin as a probationary basin consistent with the requirements of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). The deadline for written comments on the probationary hearing draft staff report for the Kern County Subbasin is 12:00 noon on September 23, 2024.
If you would like to review the submitted 2024 GSP plan that is the latest plan to be submitted.
Kern County Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Plan 2024 GSP
For all the Kern County subbasin staff report, notices and more you can review at the State Water Board website here.
Virtual Staff Workshop
Monday, August 26, 2024
11:00 AM – 1:30 PM
Staff presentation will start at 11:00 AM
Staff will begin accepting public comments at 12:15 PM
Zoom link: https://waterboards.zoom.us/j/95481583017
English and Spanish webcast of the virtual staff workshop with closed captioning will be
available at video.calepa.ca.gov. If you wish to ask a question or make a comment,
please join using the Zoom link.
In-Person Staff Workshop
Thursday, August 29, 2024
5:30 PM – 8:30 PM
(No internet viewing option; in-person only)
Staff presentation will start at 5:30 PM
Staff will begin accepting public comments at 7:00 PM
Hodel’s Country Dining: Liberty Hall
5917 Kundsen Drive
Bakersfield, CA 93308
On Thursday, February 20, 2025, the State Water Board will hold a public hearing to consider designating the Kern County Subbasin as a probationary basin under SGMA.
Please see the Probationary Hearing Notice for more information on how to participate in these events. Probationary Hearing Notice
May is Water Conservation Month
May is Water Conservation Month.
Every summer, we organize a water awareness and conservation campaign named ‘Don’t be that Guy’. WAKC connects local purveyors together to engage in a county wide water conservation campaign. Combining efforts and resources to maximize impact for our county. May has been marked as Water Conservation Month by statewide agencies. As May is typically the state to summer, we like to remind residents leading into our summer months ‘Don’t be that Guy’ wasting water, and be aware of your water usage.
May kick starts our water awareness and conservation campaign that will include advertising, marketing and social media promotion. Annually, we participate in a combination of radio ads, tv segments, billboards, internet promotions and more to raise awareness of your water usage. The culmination of the ‘Don’t be that Guy’ campaign will be Water Day at the Kern County Fair on September 26th.
Throughout the summer and all year round, we urge our community to be aware of their water usage and the vital necessity it supplies to our industries.
https://www.kget.com/guest-interviews/how-to-use-and-better-conserve-kerns-water-supply/
Contribute to our Water Awareness Campaign.
Communications Intern
WAKC Communications Intern
About Us:
The Water Association of Kern County is a non-profit organization designed to educate and inform Kern County citizens about water issues and events. Members consist of local water districts, agencies, agriculture businesses, oil industry and affiliated groups and individuals.
Formed in 1955, the Water Association of Kern County was originally designed to educate the citizens of Kern County about the need for the construction of the State Water Project. The organization’s goal was to keep the public well informed about activities and issues related to water and on the continuing need for a reliable water supply to Kern County.
Over the years, the WAKC evolved to include outreach and activities that provided information about many water topics including federal, state and local water projects; water quality, legislation and regulations, historical water agreements, water supply, endangered species, the Kern River, water banking, conservation, water development and many other water-related topics.
Job Description:
The Intern will be exposed to various administrative roles within the organization. The Intern will work closely with the Executive Director. Intern will be responsible for their own time management and execution of projects in a timely manner. Intern will need to have their own laptop and workspace.
This is a part time intern that will act as a consultant with an estimate of 10 hours per week for a 12-week duration during the summer of 2024.
The primary responsibility of the candidate may include:
- Website Update Management
- Update the Who’s Who, WAKC online directory of local water districts, officials, and other related organizations.
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- Update of Constant Contact email distribution
- Social Media Development
- Content Calendar creation
- Creative thinking of potential post and campaigns
- Outline future growth potential
- Planning of Public Relations events
- Highlight water conservation efforts via a community event
- Assist in Water Conservation Campaigns
- Creative thinking to update water conservation plans for municipalities and participating water districts.
Qualifications:
- Enrolled in Communications degree program or similar course work
- Must be 18 years old
- Must be able to work remotely
Skills, Knowledge, Abilities:
- Ability to gather information via cold calls and website searches.
- Solid judgment and strong decision-making skills
- Proficient in web design and development
- Proficient in social media insights and analytics.
- Proficient computer skills – Microsoft Office Software
- Proven ability to effectively communicate – verbal & written skills
- Ability to self-perform and work well under little supervision
Locations: Intern will work remote with possibility of attending events in Bakersfield.
Please submit resume & cover letter to jenny@wakc.com by May 1st, 2024
Water Summit Survey & Presentations
| Thank you for attending the Kern County Water Summit. We hope you enjoyed it and found it interesting. WAKC appreciates your support.
If you would like a copy of any of the PowerPoint presentations please email jenny@wakc.com Please complete our survey to gather your feedback about the conference. Please take the time to fill it out so we can make the conference better next year. Survey link here Thank you, again, for your attendance and support. |
KCWA & WAKC Historic Water Year Video
Kern County Water Agency Marks Historic Water Year 2023, Securing Water Supply for the Region
BAKERSFIELD —The Kern County Water Agency (Agency) announces the successful culmination of Water Year 2023. The year was marked by unprecedented water levels in the Kern River and record-breaking precipitation, securing water supply for the previously drought-stricken Bakersfield and neighboring communities. The Agency and the Water Association of Kern County collaborated in commemorating this historic water year with a visual narrative video entitled, “Charting The Course: Managing an Extraordinary Water Year 2023”.
What contributed to this remarkable water year? Notably, all water destined for Kern County remained in the county, benefiting the local community and economy. Local water managers enacted a collaborative and comprehensive plan spearheaded by the Kern River Watermaster. The plan to secure Kern River runoff involved seamless coordination with State, federal and local entities, including the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), the United States Bureau of Reclamation and the United States Army Corps of Engineers.
Additional contributing factors to the successful water year include increased spring runoff, strong snowpack and reservoir utilization. The spring runoff was an extraordinary 429 percent of the average, equating to approximately 1.8 million acre-feet (af) of water flowing into Lake Isabella. This surge comes after enduring years of drought, signifying a remarkable reversal in water availability. Local agencies effectively managed and retained the increased water within Kern County. These local agencies successfully recharged 600,000 af of water on the Kern Water Bank, surpassing the capacity of Lake Isabella. Within the 2023 calendar year, over 1,000,000 af of water was successfully recharged within Kern County, marking a significant achievement in water management and sustainability.
Nearly 2,270,000 af of water were derived from the snowpack, which reached 320 percent of the average, enough to fill Lake Isabella four times during the year. Recharge of this runoff into groundwater banking projects, , in turn, attracted a diverse population of up to 35,000 water birds.
The surplus water recharged will have a substantial economic impact, benefiting not only Kern County but also communities from the Bay Area to Southern California, who also store their water in Kern County.
Tom McCarthy, General Manager of the Kern County Water Agency, comments, “In an extraordinary water year, like the one California had in 2022-23, in order to secure what mother nature provided, you need an incredible amount of cooperation from the federal to the state to the local level, and that’s what we experienced this past year. People really rolled up their sleeves and worked together.”
MULKAY RECEIVES WAKC AWARDS AT 67TH ANNUAL MEETING
BAKERSFIELD, CA – The Water Association of Kern County proudly presented its Water Leader of the Year and Water Legacy Awards last Wednesday, November 8th, at its 2023 WAKC Annual Meeting held at Stockdale Country Club.
Board members and guests gathered for the 67th Annual Meeting and were excited to come together and surprise the award recipient. Scott Thayer, 2021-2023 WAKC President, welcomed everyone to the Annual Meeting and introduced the evenings agenda. Guest Speaker, Lois Henry spoke about the historic wet year, the flooding and “how we whistled past the graveyard”.
WAKC elected new officers to lead the organization; President Jason Giannelli (Old River Farming), 1st Vice President Stephanie Hearn (GEI Consultants), 2nd Vice President Dolores Salgado (Ardurra) and Secretary Kristina Budak (City of Bakersfield). We also recognized retiring Board Members; David Nixon (Arvin-Edison Water Storage District) and Tim Ruiz (East Niles Community Services District).
Every year WAKC presents the Water Leader of the Year and the Water Legacy Awards at the Annual Meeting. The Water Leader of the Year award is given for significant contributions, leadership and integrity over the past year. Steven Teglia, General Manager of Kern Delta Water District, presented the 2023 Water Leader of the Year award to Mark Mulkay.
Mulkay, who is retiring this December after a 30-year career as the General Manager of Kern Delta was singled out for his contributions over the past year as the Kern River Watermaster. Mulkay was instrumental in the success of managing the historically wet year on the Kern River. In his introductory comments Teglia recalled “The timing was perfect, Mark’s responsibilities with Kern Delta were winding down and serving as Watermaster for a short term would be a nice way to ease into retirement. Unfortunately for Mark that was not the case.” It was a term like no other before him, Teglia continued “During Mark’s nearly two-year tenure as Watermaster, the runoff from the Kern River switched from abnormally low in 2022 to historically high in 2023. What is normally an obscure role with little public interest, suddenly became the center of attention.” Mulkay’s service and acts of leadership made him a well deserving awardee for our Water Leader of the year.
Rodney Palla, President of Kern Delta Water District next presented the Water Legacy Award to honor a recipient who spent his life working in water issues, demonstrated leadership and long-term commitment to Kern County water. Palla presented the Water Legacy Award to Mark Mulkay. Palla stated “During these early years…Mark introduced a new fandangle idea called water banking. Mark was persistent in convincing the Board that Water Banking was the way of the future for Kern Delta and was instrumental in bringing a banking partner that changed the way the district would operate for years to come.”
It speaks to the magnitude of Mulkay’s tenure that he was the recipient of both awards. Palla stated “Although Mark ended his career as the Watermaster, I truly believe he will be remembered as the Master of the Kern River.” The evening was a remarkable testament to the longevity of service in the amazing individuals that represent our Kern County water community.
2023 Annual Meeting
SPONSORSHIP INFORMATION
Kern Ag Week
Water Association of Kern County was a proud sponsor in Kern Ag week organized KGET 17. Airing the week of September 18th, 2023 WAKC was one of the companies to share our message of the importance of water in Kern County as well as how farmers utilize water not just for irrigation but for storage and groundwater recharge.
Watch the links below to hear more.
https://www.kget.com/studio17live/ag-week-water-association-of-kern-county/
https://www.kget.com/studio17live/continued-conversation-ag-week/
https://www.kget.com/studio17live/how-the-water-association-of-kern-county-helps-our-community/
Kern Subbasin deemed inadequate
Sacramento, Calif. – The Department of Water Resources (DWR) today announced decisions for groundwater sustainability plans (GSPs) for 12 critically overdrafted groundwater basins in Central California. These plans provide a roadmap for how groundwater basins will reach long-term sustainability, while implementing near-term actions such as expanding monitoring programs, reporting annually on groundwater conditions, implementing groundwater recharge projects and designing allocation programs.
Of the 12, plans for six basins are recommend for approval with recommended corrective actions for the basins to remain in an approved status. The remaining six basins are deemed inadequate and are transitioning from DWR’s oversight to the State Water Board for State intervention under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). Adopted in 2014, SGMA requires local groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs) in medium- and high-priority groundwater basins, which includes 21 critically overdrafted basins, to develop and implement GSPs.
DWR recommends approval of plans for the following basins:
- Cuyama Basin in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Ventura and Kern counties
- Paso Robles Subbasin in San Luis Obispo County
- Eastern San Joaquin Subbasin in San Joaquin County
- Merced Subbasin in Merced County
- Westside Subbasin in Fresno and Kings counties
- Kings Subbasin in Fresno County
DWR deemed the following basin plans Inadequate:
- Chowchilla Subbasin in Madera and Merced counties
- Delta-Mendota Subbasin in San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Fresno, Madera, and San Benito counties
- Kaweah Subbasin in Tulare and Kings counties
- Tule Subbasin in Tulare County
- Tulare Lake Subbasin in Kings County
- Kern Subbasin in Kern County
GSAs are required to begin implementing their plans as soon as they are adopted locally, and these activities will continue even if basins are under State intervention. These plans will help local agencies address conditions that negatively impact groundwater within 20 years such as groundwater overdraft, degraded groundwater quality, land subsidence, and impacts to drinking water well users.
The GSAs whose plans are recommended for approval conducted critical analysis of groundwater levels, water quality and inter-connected surface waters to develop and refine sustainable groundwater management criteria. While additional analytical work is needed during implementation, DWR deemed the framework for management sufficient under the law.
“Since the onset of SGMA, local agencies have stepped up with dedication and progress in meeting critical milestones,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “Protecting domestic wells, minimizing land subsidence and protecting groundwater resources are all State priorities. Implementation of these plans, which will require difficult adjustments as we go, will ultimately provide a safe and reliable groundwater supply for communities for generations to come.”
The basins deemed inadequate by DWR did not appropriately address deficiencies in how GSAs structured their sustainable management criteria. The management criteria provide an operating range for how groundwater levels prevent undesirable effects such as overdraft, land subsidence and groundwater levels that may impact drinking water wells, within 20 years. These GSAs did not analyze and justify continued groundwater level declines and land subsidence. Further, the GSPs lacked a clear understanding of how the management criteria may cause undesired effects on groundwater users in the basins or critical infrastructure.
In January 2022, after technical evaluation, DWR found the plans in these 12 critically overdrafted basins to be incomplete, identifying significant deficiencies that precluded approval. The GSAs had 180 days to correct the deficiencies and revise and resubmit their plans to DWR for re-evaluation, consistent with the regulations.
The basins with plans recommended for approval will continue to work with DWR and report on their progress in implementing their plans and completing corrective actions. DWR will transmit each basin deemed inadequate to the State Water Board, which may designate the basin probationary after providing public notice and then holding a public hearing. Any probationary designation will identify the deficiencies that led to intervention and potential actions to remedy the deficiencies. At the hearing, interested parties will have the opportunity to provide comments and technical information to the State Water Board regarding the deficiencies that were identified in the plans. Each basin is unique and will be evaluated individually by the State Water Board. State intervention and oversight is a critical step in making sure these basins succeed in achieving sustainable groundwater conditions. The ultimate goal is to have all basins return to local management with a clear path on how to achieve sustainability within 20 years of their original plan submittal.
DWR supports local agencies by providing planning, technical and financial assistance to help GSAs and local communities in this long-term effort to sustainably manage their groundwater basins. The critically overdrafted basins each received $7.6 million in Sustainable Groundwater Management grant funding to help them implement their plans. Complementary funding programs like DWR’s LandFlex program, state drought assistance programs, and the California Department of Conservation’s Multibenefit Land Repurposing program are helping the most critically overdrafted areas of the state reduce their dependence on groundwater and fast-track progress in reaching local sustainability goals.
Out of a total of 94 groundwater basins required to submit plans under SGMA, DWR has provided determinations for 24 basins and is currently reviewing an additional 61 plans from 59 of the state’s high- and medium- priority basins that were submitted to DWR in January 2022. DWR anticipates issuing determinations for the remaining basins throughout 2023.
