Tag Archive for: Friant-Kern Canal

Repairs Set to Begin on Local Portion of Friant-Kern

After years of efforts to provide needed repairs of the Friant-Kern Canal, the first stage of those repairs is on the verge of finally happening.

And the repairs will be done to the canal in Southeastern Tulare County.

On Wednesday, the Bureau of Reclamation signed a record of decision to advance construction to repair a portion of the Friant-Kern Canal. The decision gives final approval on the required environmental reviews for the first phase of repairs to the canal.

Feds Give Green Light to Friant-Kern Canal Repairs

The Friant-Kern Canal has received the approval from the federal government to fix a sag in the canal.

The Bureau of Reclamation gave its approval Tuesday – signing a Record of Decision giving environmental clearance for the project – following action from the Trump administration to invest about $5 million to study and begin pre-construction work on the canal.

Newsom Vetoes Friant-Kern Canal Fix Bill

California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill that would have provided funding to fix the ever-sinking Friant-Kern Canal.  State Sen. Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger) introduced the bill back in 2018 and had strong bipartisan support, especially among her fellow Valley lawmakers.  SB 559 would have required the Department of Water Resources to report to the legislature by March 31, 2021, on federal funding approved by the federal government for the Friant Water Authority or any other government agency to restore the capacity of the Friant-Kern Canal.

Friant-Kern Canal Fix Gets Over Major Hump

The plan to fix subsidence in the Friant-Kern Canal and restore water deliveries to farmers in southern Tulare County and Kern County got over a major hump last week. On Sept. 18, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which owns the Friant-Kern Canal, released final environmental documents for its plan to repair a 33-mile stretch of canal between Lindsay and McFarland. The final environmental impact report represents a significant milestone in beginning work to restore flows to the lower third of the 153-mile long canal running along the Valley’s east side.

20-Mile Replacement Canal is Preferred Fix for the Sagging Friant-Kern Canal

A rapid-fire review of potential fixes to the Friant-Kern Canal favors building a replacement canal for 20 miles alongside the existing canal where land subsidence has caused it to sag, severely restricting water flow, according to final environmental documents released Friday.

California Assembly Kills Friant-Kern Canal Funding Bill

A bill that would have provided the necessary funds to fix the sagging Friant-Kern Canal was killed by the state legislature on Thursday.

State Sen. Melissa Hurtado introduced SB 559 to the legislature in February 2019, but the Assembly Appropriations Committee stuck it in the suspense file since August of last year, delaying its consideration to the 2020 legislative session.

Money to Repair Central Valley Canal in House Bill. A large Funding Gap Remains

South San Joaquin Valley farmers have a reason to celebrate this week: Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives appropriated $200 million to fix the Friant-Kern Canal.

The bill also includes funding to repair the Delta-Mendota Canal and for two Northern California reservoirs.

Moving Forward Act Provides Funding for Central Valley Water, Friant-Kern Canal

The U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has approved H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act. The legislative package would provide $1.5 trillion for the nation’s infrastructure  needs. Included in the bill is funding for Central Valley water needs and Friant-Kern Canal repairs.

The package is expected to be passed by the U.S. House of Representatives next week. The package would then need to be passed by the Senate and signed into law by President Trump.

Trump Jump-Starts Repairs for Sinking California Canal. But Who Will Pay?

The Trump administration is jump-starting a plan to repair a badly sinking canal in the San Joaquin Valley, a year after California voters rejected a bond measure that would have had them pay for the project.

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation said Tuesday it will begin studying the environmental impact of fixing a 323-mile stretch of the Friant-Kern Canal — a critical water artery on the Valley’s east side. The federal agency said the repairs are needed to boost water deliveries to 1 million acres of farmland that have been dramatically reduced because of the sagging canal.

The Friant-Kern Canal Is Sinking. Thirty-Mile Parallel Canal Proposed

The Friant-Kern Canal, which delivers water to farms and communities on the east side of the Valley, is literally sinking in some areas due to groundwater pumping. And with one week to go before the California legislature wraps up its 2019 session, many hope the state will help fund the canal’s repair. FM89’s News Director Alice Daniel recently sat down with Johnny Amaral, the chief of external affairs for the Friant Water Authority to learn about one possible solution.