SGMA Gone Awry in Indian Wells Valley

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The California Supreme Court can protect incentives for responsible groundwater management by agreeing to review an appellate court decision (Mojave Pistachios v. Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Agency) challenging Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Sustainability Plan (“GSP”).  The dispute is over whether the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (“SGMA”) allows Indian Wells Valley to eviscerate a landowner’s (Mojave Pistachios LLC) groundwater rights without due process and impose unreasonable “fees” for a speculative GSP.  The future of reasonable groundwater management hangs in the balance. 

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Salton Sea: En Attendant for Action

Time for Hydrowonk to update the deteriorating status of the Salton Sea.

Over four years ago, a Los Angeles Times Editorial stated: “The Salton Sea is a disaster in the making.  California isn’t doing anything about it.”

Last year, the Bureau of Reclamation and the Imperial Irrigation District announced an agreement on the Salton Sea as part of federal action to reduce California’s use of Colorado River water.  The $250 million of federal funding was not a good deal for the Salton Sea.

With the continued inaction since 2017, when the Imperial Irrigation District’s obligation to mitigate the impact of its conserved water transfers to the San Diego County Water Authority ended, the facts are clear:

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What Would Lloyd Allen Do?

With the Colorado River in crisis, long-term and newly found friends in the Imperial Valley have reached out to Hydrowonk seeking advice and counsel.  After two decades of drawing down water storage in Lake Powell and Lake Mead, the Bureau of Reclamation and junior water right holders are banging on the door of the Imperial Valley demanding a bail out because, evidently, they are “too big to fail.” 

Channeling Elon Musk, Hydrowonk keeps it short and sweet.  First, honor and protect the legacy of the Imperial Valley’s pioneers who literally dug your community out of the dirt with their own bare hands.  Second, channel the wisdom of Lloyd Allen.   

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What Can Colorado River Senior Water Right Users Learn from the NLF Players Union?

Hydrowonk attended the Colorado River Water Users Association in Las Vegas, catching up with clients at Thursday’s Percolation and Runoff reception.  Running with senior water right users, Hydrowonk heard many complaints about this year’s panels barely mentioning the priority system.  One wise observer noted that “this was a meeting of the Colorado River (Junior) Water Users Association.”

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