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Why the state is reviewing groundwater management in parts of Kern County

State Water Resources Control Board Chair Joaquin Esquivel
State Water Resources Control Board
State Water Resources Control Board Chair Joaquin Esquivel

FRESNO, Calif. — The Kern County water subbasin lies underneath much of the southern Central Valley and is a vital resource for farmers and residents. However, years of over-pumping from the subbasin have left its water levels in a concerning state.

In 2014, lawmakers passed the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), which mandates that water managers in all critically over-drafted areas, including the Kern County Subbasin, create plans to bring aquifers back to healthy levels by 2040.

California’s State Water Resources Control Board oversees SGMA compliance and found the subbasin’s long-term management plans were insufficient. As a result, next year, the subbasin and its controlling agencies could face probation from the agency.

On Thursday, August 29, the water board will hold an in-person workshop at 5:30 p.m. in Hodel's Country Dining in Bakersfield to discuss these next steps.

Joaquin Esquivel is the chair of the state water board and joined KVPR's Elizabeth Arakelian for a conversation, starting with an overview of SGMA and the five other subbasins under review in the Central Valley.

Listen to the interview in the player on this page.

A Valley native, Elizabeth earned her bachelor's degree in English Language Literatures from the University of California, Santa Cruz and her master's degree in journalism from New York University. She has covered a range of beats. Her agriculture reporting for the Turlock Journal earned her a first place award from the California Newspaper Publishers Association.
Jonathan Linden is a podcast producer at KVPR. Born and raised in Riverside, he's a Southern California native. Jonathan's passion for public radio began at a young age when his brother would play NPR while driving him home from middle school. He earned his B.A. in journalism from Biola University in 2019.