Two neighboring groundwater agencies in Kings County are preparing for a showdown over how much farmers can pump even as the state Water Resources Control Board restarted probationary sanctions for farmers in the Tulare Lake subbasin. Farmers will be required to report how much they pumped from July 14, 2024 through Sept. 25, 2025 by May 1, 2026, according to a Water Board press release issued Friday evening. Fees of $20-per-acre-foot pumped won’t be far behind.

Other groundwater management news:

• Valley Ag Voice (Bakersfield, Calif.): Water Blueprint guides future of valley supplies
• Milk Producers Council: Blog: Some perspective on the Kings County Farm Bureau lawsuit against the State Water Board
• On the Water Front: Blog: An innovative water sharing program in India helps improve farmer livelihoods