TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

Recent Stories

1. Judge hears arguments in Kern River rights battle

   By The Bakersfield Californian

   Wednesday, Mar 23 2011 06:43 PM

   By LOIS HENRY Californian staff writer e-mail: lhenry@bakersfield.com Depending on how a Kern County judge rules in the next few weeks, the fight for the Kern River could continue moving forward, or go back to square one.

   Judge Steve Schuett heard lengthy arguments Wednesday on a lawsuit attempting to derail an historic decision last year by the State Water Resources Control Board declaring the Kern River not fully appropriated.

   That declaration means there could be river water up for grabs. The tricky part of that declaration is there are two "pots" of water under review by the board.

   There is the 50,000 acre feet of "forfeited" water that popped onto the board's radar after Kern Delta Water District lost it in 2007 following a lengthy...

   Read More

2. LOIS HENRY: Bakersfield turns out for the Kern River

   Bakersfield residents packed the City Council chambers Thursday night in a show of overwhelming support for the city's quest to run water down the Kern River year round. The chambers were standing room only and nearly 30 people spoke. The...
3. 

   LOIS HENRY: Speak up for your river

   The Kern River needs you again. Specifically, it needs your rear end planted in a seat at the City Council chambers Thursday night. This is one of those historic moments you won't want to miss. Seriously, when your grandkids are playing...

4. City takes a major step in fight for the river

   hirty-six years is a long time to wait. Too long. Which is why Rich O'Neil was ecstatic, as was I, to see the city of Bakersfield's latest move toward getting water back in the Kern River. Wednesday night, the City Council approved spending...
5. 

   The allure of the Kern’s cool, clear water — many couldn’t resist

   The Kern River had water this summer for the first time in years. The lure of cool, clear water brought residents to its shores every day. Not to mention egrets, ducks, cranes, hawks and even some osprey. Water in the river took some of...

6. Water and trees, why can't Bakersfield have both?

   I'd love to point a finger and complain about how the city of Bakersfield hates trees and that's why whole groves along the Kern River were mowed down in the last few months. Unfortunately, it's not that simple. Fortunately, for me though,...

7. LOIS HENRY: Look for water in the river by 2012

   It's funny what you pick up when you're not even looking. The other day I e-mailed the city of Bakersfield double checking whether volunteers should even muster an effort to re-establish an irrigation system along the Kern River Parkway to...

9. Water enough for deals, but not the river

   Maybe it's just me, but when an agricultural water district ships thousands of acre feet of Kern River water south to grow suburbs in Irvine, it kind of takes the oomph out of their argument that running water down the actual river bed...

10. Local feedback on the Kern River

    Articles about the city's fight to get water back in the Kern River have generated a lot of controversy. Collected here are letters to the editor, editorials and other bits of local feedback....

11. LOIS HENRY: Water districts sue state board

    Editor's note: This article was first published on 6/5/2010. Water districts opposing the city of Bakersfield's efforts to get water in the Kern River filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the State Water Resources Control Board over its...

12. HERB BENHAM: Pull of the river almost impossible to resist -- so don't

    At first, it was a trickle. Like a scout sent down the riverbed to see if it was safe to send more soldiers. If the trickle met with disaster, no use wasting good water to rescue a rivulet left writhing in the sand. This was a couple of...

13. LOIS HENRY: Historical glance at the Kern River | 1877

    Miller and Haggin battled in court for nearly a decade over the Kern River. The fight established two main principles of California water law, riparian, which are attached to land along the water and appropriative, belonging to those who...

14. LOIS HENRY: How forfeited water would be used

    The entities seeking forfeited Kern River water offered different requests and purposes in their applications to the State Water Resources Control Board.   Buena Vista Estimate: 700,000 acre feet per year Use: Irrigation, 180,000 acre...