Tribes say L.A.’s pumping of groundwater is drying up Owens Valley
In a desert landscape dominated by sagebrush, a piece of Los Angeles’ immense water empire stands behind a chain-link fence: a hydrant-like piece of metal atop a well. The electric pump hums as it sends water gushing into a canal, forming a stream in the desert. This well is one of 105 that L.A. owns across the Owens Valley. … While many Californians know the story of how L.A. seized the valley’s river water in the early 1900s and drained Owens Lake, fewer know that the city also pulls up a significant amount of water from underground. The pumping has led to resentment among leaders of Native tribes, who say it is leaving their valley parched and harming the environment.
Other groundwater news:
- SJV Water (Bakersfield, Calif.): Hanford-area farmers again facing fees and “very difficult” pumping restrictions
- KPFA (Berkeley, Calif.): Terra Verde podcast: Managing groundwater, from policy to practice
