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Farmers Threaten Legal Action Over DCP

/in , /by /Imperial Valley Pressby Richard Montenegro Brown

A group of farmers could be threatening a new lawsuit against the Imperial Irrigation District over its participation in the drought contingency plan meant to bolster water supplies at Lake Mead and help restore the Colorado River, according to IID officials. At the core of the threat, district officials said Wednesday night, is what IID General Manager Kevin Kelley termed the “elephant in the room” — who holds the water in trust for all water users: the IID or the farmers/landowners? This threat, Kelley said, addresses similar points with the lawsuit grower Mike Abatti filed against the district over its Equitable Distribution Plan. That case is now being appealed by the IID.

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A CVWD Candidate Tries to Tip the Balance of the Board Away From Farmers. Here’s Why

/in , /by /The Desert Sun (Palm Springs)by Corinne S Kennedy and Ian James

The election for the District 3 seat on the Coachella Valley Water District board could be pivotal for the agency’s future as a challenger works to unseat the current board president, potentially tilting the balance of power away from large agricultural landowners. Ed Muzik, general manager of the Hi-Desert Water District in Yucca Valley, has tried to unseat incumbent John Powell Jr., one of three farmers on the water board, with claims that he is the “non-conflicted” candidate in the race.

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Water Agencies, Farmers Fret Over California’s Move To Regulate Wetlands

/in , /by /Water Deeply (New York)by Matt Weiser

The State of California is working on a new regulatory program to oversee protection of wetlands and other ephemeral water bodies, such as seasonal streams. It comes in response to the Trump administration’s plan to roll back federal protection of such waters, which are critical for wildlife habitat, flood protection, groundwater recharge and water quality. Water Deeply explored the state’s proposal in detail in an article published this week. But what would this broad new California regulatory program mean to the water industry and developers in the state?

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