California Water News Daily Your Source For Water News in California
As the California drought continues to worsen, the State Water Resources Control Board has taken drastic measures to help ease the burden on the state. Recently, the Board began shutting off water to more than 100 senior water rights holders; those who have rights established before 1914.
After receiving an order from the state board, the Byron Bethany Irrigation District had to shut off water to more than 160 farmers and ranchers in its coverage area. Farmers are worried that the lack of water supply due to the California drought could result in $65 million of crop losses.
The water district filed a lawsuit with the state Superior Court. They are hoping a judge will overturn the Board’s order. The lawsuit comes after a judge in Sacramento issued a temporary restraining order preventing the Board from enforcing the curtailments. According to the judge, the Board couldn’t curtail water rights without a pre-deprivation hearing.
The cut in water consumption during the California drought has many with senior water rights wondering how these cutbacks could impact them in the future. They are worried that this could set a precedent for how much water and what level of access they will be given.
To help combat the lack of water, senior rights farmers are looking at drilling wells into underground reservoirs, a resource junior farmers have already tapped into.
