Geoff Vanden Heuvel
SGMA Happens
The Kern Subbasin GSAs – and there are about 17 of them – have agreed on a common approach to setting minimum thresholds.
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Water News
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Aug 11
- 2 min
Brief Update on the Progress of the Inadequate SGMA Subbasins
In making the rounds of public meetings of Inadequate Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) over the past couple of weeks...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Jul 20
- 6 min
SGMA Inadequate Subbasins Update
There is intense activity going on right now in the Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) whose plans were deemed “inadequate” by...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Jun 9
- 3 min
The Path Forward for the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act
The legislation that launched the state’s comprehensive regulation of groundwater, commonly known as SGMA, was passed in 2014. One of...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- May 19
- 1 min
Colorado River Update
The precipitation this winter has significantly increased the anticipated inflow to the Colorado River system, particularly into Lake...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Apr 28
- 2 min
Lots of Water; No Place to Put It
An enormous amount of water is flowing out of the Delta into the ocean. The two pumping plants that export water to the California...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Mar 31
- 2 min
Our Time to Shine
The illustrated map below was part of a presentation given by state officials this week to bring attention to the tremendous...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Mar 4
- 3 min
DWR Makes Initial SGMA Determinations
Eight and a half years after the passage of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, the California Department of Water Resources...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Feb 24
- 2 min
Good News on the Water Front
Last week we reported that Governor Newson had issued an Emergency Order that paved the way for the State Water Board to...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Feb 17
- 3 min
Complicated, but Significant Positive News on the Water Front
With the imminent threat of losing hundreds of thousands of acre-feet of stored water to the ocean, Governor Newsom on Monday issued...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Jan 20
- 4 min
Delta Pumping Up 400% Since January 9; Water Blueprint Submits Letter to State Leaders
Some good news to report this week on the water front. Exports scheduled today from the state pumps are 9,500 cubic feet per second...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Jan 13
- 4 min
Water Update
Water was the dominate theme this week in California. After three very dry years, the winter of 2023 is starting to look wet.
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Dec 30, 2022
- 3 min
It is Raining and Snowing!
As we end 2022, the weather has turned very wet throughout California. What a blessing. While having a wet winter will not by itself...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Nov 11, 2022
- 4 min
Groundwater Sustainability Agency Tidbits
There is a lot of activity going on right now in the Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) I cover for Milk Producers Council.
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Oct 21, 2022
- 4 min
Landowners Pushback in Greater Kaweah Groundwater Sustainability Agency
At the end of September, the Board of Directors of the Greater Kaweah Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GKGSA) took action to...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Sep 30, 2022
- 4 min
Greater Kaweah Groundwater Sustainability Agency Board Adopts a Groundwater Allocation
This week, the Board of the Greater Kaweah Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) adopted a groundwater allocation for landowners...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Aug 12, 2022
- 2 min
Governor Newsom Makes a Big Water Announcement
As regular readers of this newsletter know, Milk Producers Council was a strong supporter of the More Water Now initiative effort...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Jul 29, 2022
- 3 min
Weekend Water Reading List
There is a lot happening on water right now. What follows is a list of relevant water articles I have read this week. I share them...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Jul 1, 2022
- 2 min
Water Blueprint Hosts CDFA Secretary, State Water Resources Control Board, DWR Leaders
The Water Blueprint for the San Joaquin Valley serves as the united voice to champion water resource policies and projects to...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Jun 24, 2022
- 2 min
Madera County GSA – A Split Decision on a Big Fee
The Madera County Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) represents the groundwater-only portion of two critically overdrafted...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Jun 10, 2022
- 2 min
Water…It’s Complicated
In a dry year like this one, when there is not enough water to go around, who gets what and why is very complicated. The Friant...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- May 6, 2022
- 2 min
Valley Leaders, Residents Call for More Action on Water
The Save Our Communities meeting was held in Visalia this morning, with more than 250 people in attendance. Roger Isom, President & CEO...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Apr 15, 2022
- 2 min
Drilling Down: What the Governor’s Drought Executive Order Means for New Well Construction
Last week, we sent an e-blast to our members of an article published on Water Wrights providing a great overview of Governor...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Apr 8, 2022
- 1 min
New Report & Calculator Quantifies Water Consumption on California Dairy Farms
A very important paper was released this week outlining a dairy facility's water consumption. This is a particularly important paper...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Apr 1, 2022
- 5 min
Crisis in California Water
It took me a while, but I finally got through all 122 pages of the court order, issued a few weeks ago by Federal District Court Judge...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Jan 28, 2022
- 4 min
Keep an Eye on the Colorado River
While a lot of focus has been on the drought and its impact on water supplies in the Central Valley, there is another major water...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Jan 14, 2022
- 1 min
By the Numbers: Current Water Conditions
December was wet. So far, January is dry. The charts below show where we are. The Tulare Lake graph is relevant for the Southern Central...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Jan 7, 2022
- 2 min
Very Helpful Paper on Managing Manure Under SGMA
As implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) begins to impose real cuts in groundwater usage, dairy farmers...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Dec 23, 2021
- 4 min
Thank the Lord for the Rain and Snow
One of the big realizations for me in relocating from Southern California to the Central Valley is how dependent Valley agriculture is...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Dec 10, 2021
- 1 min
East Kaweah GSA Update
The board of East Kaweah GSA meet last Friday and adopted an emergency allocation resolution. Here is what they adopted...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Dec 3, 2021
- 4 min
SGMA Starts to Bite
The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) was passed in 2014 and is designed to eliminate the “undesirable results” of taking...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Oct 29, 2021
- 2 min
Here is a Plan to Create More Water for California
As I’ve written about in previous MPC Friday Reports, the “More Water Now” initiative seeks to change California’s decades-old status...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Oct 22, 2021
- 3 min
OPEN ET has Launched
It may not mean much at first glance, but a consortium of entities including NASA, The U.S. Geological Survey, USDA, as well as a number...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Oct 16, 2021
- 3 min
Greater Kaweah GSA Launches Groundwater Extraction Cap Discussion
At this month’s board meeting of the Greater Kaweah Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GKGSA), directors began discussions...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Oct 15, 2021
- 2 min
"More Water Now" Initiative Effort Underway
A final version of the Water Infrastructure Funding Act of 2022 is under review by the California Attorney General’s office. It...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Oct 1, 2021
- 2 min
CDFA Forms a Manure Recycling & Innovative Products Task Force
All California dairy farms operate with permits issued by water quality regulators. One of the
major issues those permits are designed...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Aug 27, 2021
- 2 min
Water Infrastructure Funding Act of 2022 Initiative Submitted to State
This week, a citizen initiative was submitted to the California Attorney General’s office for review and “title and summary” designation...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Jul 30, 2021
- 3 min
Water Tidbits
How dry is it? Look at these three charts from the Department of Water Resources. This is the driest year on record in terms...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Jun 11, 2021
- 4 min
Madera County Groundwater Sustainability Agency Makes a Big Decision
During the last big drought in 2014, the California Legislature passed the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). This historic...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Feb 12, 2021
- 4 min
Lack of Precipitation Further Complicates California’s Complicated Water System
Here’s this week’s Central Valley water supply headline: We need rain and snow. The storm of a couple of weeks ago did help us get out of...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Nov 20, 2020
- 6 min
Water Update
Water availability is a big deal to a dairy. Without an accessible and relatively clean water supply, dairy farming is not possible. Much...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Sep 11, 2020
- 4 min
How should native water be allocated? Getting into the Weeds
As the various Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) grapple with implementation of their Sustainability Plans...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Jul 17, 2020
- 5 min
Water Tidbits
Keeping an eye on water supply is a big part of what I do for Milk Producers Council. What follows are some tidbits I have learned....
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- May 15, 2020
- 5 min
Tough Water News
On Tuesday morning, I read the 36-page opinion and order of Fresno Federal District Court Judge Dale Drozd granting the motion...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Apr 24, 2020
- 2 min
Big problems on the water front
In this already stressful time for agriculture and our country, Governor Newsom decided this week to file for a preliminary injunction...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Feb 21, 2020
- 4 min
California water war on the verge of erupting
There were big moves related to California water this week. I wish I could reassure you that everything is going to be okay - but I cannot.
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Dec 20, 2019
- 4 min
Year End Water Report
2019 turned out to be a good water year. Ample rain and snow fell on California both at the beginning of the year and in the past...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Sep 27, 2019
- 4 min
Musings
I was in the dairy business for nearly 39 years in Chino in Southern California. I spent over 25 of those years on the board...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- Aug 23, 2019
- 4 min
Sustainable Groundwater Management Plans Released for Public Comment
Over the past several weeks, many Central Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) have released...
Geoff Vanden Heuvel
- May 31, 2019
- 4 min
The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act – What Does It Mean for Dairies in the Central Valley?
One year ago, the Milk Producers Council Board of Directors charged me with the responsibility of being the dairy industry’s eyes...
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