… Russian Riverkeeper and a statewide group called the California Coastkeeper Alliance teamed up to sue Sonoma County over the way it approved new well permits. “There was no oversight whatsoever with groundwater permitting,” said California Coastkeeper Executive Director Sean Bothwell.  ”They were really just handing them out without any analysis whatsoever, of whether groundwater was impacting surface flows in Sonoma County.” Last week, Superior Court Judge Bradford Demeo ruled that Sonoma County had failed to uphold the Public Trust Doctrine, an implied duty of officials to protect vital public resources. If the decision stands, Sonoma and other counties will have to determine the impact of wells on nearby surface water flows before granting a permit. “I think it’s a landmark case,” said Bothwell.  ”I do think that it’s eye opening and counties will look at it and, hopefully, be proactive.”

Related articles:

• The Press Democrat: Judge strikes down Sonoma County rules governing wells, groundwater use, siding with environmental groups
• Northern California Public Media: Court strikes down county well ordinance; says officials blew off environmental rules
• KVPR: Listen: Why the state is reviewing groundwater management in parts of Kern County