Battle for Kern River water goes deep into rights, history
The state hearing on whether there is “loose” water on the Kern River got started Thursday and was quickly snared in a thicket of procedural issues, arcane water rights and water diversion practices. After two very full days of testimony and legal wrangling, the upshot is that there is no upshot, just yet. Administrative Hearing Officer Nicole Kuenzi hasn’t decided whether she’ll make a ruling on whether there is unappropriated water on the river until completion of a second set of hearings, which will look specifically at high-flow river water.
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