Kern River lawsuit “unleashed” public’s rights
A new player has entered the fray over forfeited Kern River water rights, bolstering the position that the public has a right to a flowing river. The state Department of Fish and Wildlife argues in a legal brief filed recently that the state Water Resources Control Board is absolutely obligated to consider the public trust doctrine in all water decisions, including whether there’s “loose” water on the Kern River. That doctrine states California holds all natural resources, such as rivers, in trust for the public.