1

Water in Bakersfield and Kern County

• Background Kern County• Water use• Water sources• Entities that control water• Groundwater recharge

Sources:

Tom Haslebacher, Kern County Water AgencyJon Parker, Kern Water Bank Authority

AreaArea–– Kern County covers 5.21 million Kern County covers 5.21 million

acres, roughly the area of acres, roughly the area of Connecticut, Delaware and Rhode Connecticut, Delaware and Rhode Island.Island.

About Kern County

Connecticut Connecticut 5,018 sq. mi.5,018 sq. mi.

Delaware Delaware 2,045 sq. mi.2,045 sq. mi.

R.I. R.I. 1,212 sq. mi.1,212 sq. mi.

8,170 sq. mi.8,170 sq. mi.

About Kern County

About oneAbout one--third of third of Kern’s area is on Kern’s area is on the valley floor,the valley floor,

There are 860,000 irrigated acres There are 860,000 irrigated acres on the valley floor, oneon the valley floor, one--third of third of which are permanent crops.which are permanent crops.Kern consistently ranks 3rd or 4th in the state in value of production.

which is intensively which is intensively cultivated.cultivated.

AreaArea

About Kern County

McFarlandDelano

WascoShafter

Taft

LamontArvin

Tehachapi

Maricopa

Kernville

Inyokern

Ridgecrest

California City

BAKERSFIELD

per year.per year.

OildalePopulationPopulationKern County’s Kern County’s population is population is 677,400. It is one 677,400. It is one ofofthe fastest growing the fastest growing counties in the state, counties in the state, growing 19% since growing 19% since 1995, and about 2%1995, and about 2%Kern is California’s 14Kern is California’s 14thth most populous county.most populous county.

Annual water usage in Kern County:Annual water usage in Kern County:

Municipal and industrial Municipal and industrial -- 182,000 acre182,000 acre--feetfeet

Agricultural Agricultural -- 2,250,000 acre2,250,000 acre--feetfeet

2

Kern County water sources:Kern County water sources:Kern River Kern River -- 22%22%

State Water Project (California Aqueduct) State Water Project (California Aqueduct) --23%23%

Federal (FriantFederal (Friant--Kern Canal) Kern Canal) -- 11%11%

Groundwater Groundwater -- 43%43%

Gross Water Supplies and Net Water RequirementsSan Joaquin Valley Portion of Kern County

-

500,000

1,000,000

1,500,000

2,000,000

2,500,000

3,000,000

3,500,000

4,000,000

4,500,000

1970

1971

1972

1973

1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

Local CVP SWP Demand(Net WaterRequirements)

July 5, 2001Acre-Feet

Additions toGroundwaterStorage

WithdrawalsfromGroundwaterStorage

Kern County Water Agency•• CreatedCreated in 1961 by act of in 1961 by act of the the LegislatureLegislature

•• AnnualAnnual entitlement of one entitlement of one million acremillion acre--feet of water from feet of water from State Water ProjectState Water Project

•• LargestLargest agricultural participant agricultural participant on SWP on SWP -- second largest urban second largest urban participantparticipant

•• FundedFunded by tax assessmentsby tax assessments

3

Improvement District 4•• Formed by the KCWA to act as a wholesale provider of Formed by the KCWA to act as a wholesale provider of drinking water for most of the Bakersfield metropolitan areadrinking water for most of the Bakersfield metropolitan area

•• Operates Henry C. Garnett Water Purification Plant (Golden Operates Henry C. Garnett Water Purification Plant (Golden State Avenue and Airport Drive)State Avenue and Airport Drive)

•• FundedFunded by tax by tax assessmentsassessments

•• Distributes water to retail water suppliersDistributes water to retail water suppliers

Henry Garnett WaterTreatment Plant

Kern River Water Treatment Plant

Groundwater Recharge aka “Water Banking”

4 0 4 8

Delano-EarlimartID

Rag Gulch WD

Kern-Tulare

WD

Devils Den WD Lake Isabella

5

5

5

5

5

43

5

43

Rosedale-Rio Bravo WSD

KCWA Improvement District No. 4

Wheeler Ridge-

Maricopa WSD

West Kern WD

Semitropic WSD

Belridge WSD

Bakersfield

Southern San

Joaquin MUD

Shafter-Wasco

ID

North Kern WSD Cawelo

WD

Kern Delta WDHenry

Miller WD

Buena Vista WSD

Cross Valley Canal

Lost Hills WD

Berrenda Mesa WD

Arvin-Edison WSD

Infrastructure is Key

Water recharged into Water recharged into the banking projects the banking projects can come from the can come from the Kern River, Friant Kern River, Friant Kern Canal, or Kern Canal, or California Aqueduct.California Aqueduct.

California Aqueduct Kern River

Friant Kern Canal

4 0 4 8

Delano-EarlimartID

Rag Gulch WD

Kern-Tulare

WD

Devils Den WD Lake Isabella

Kern River

California Aqueduct

5

5

5

5

5

5

43

119

5

43

Rosedale-Rio Bravo WSD

KCWA Improvement District No. 4

Wheeler Ridge-

Maricopa WSD

West Kern WD

Semitropic WSD

Belridge WSD

Bakersfield

Southern San

Joaquin MUD

Shafter-Wasco

ID

North Kern WSD Cawelo

WD

Kern Delta WDHenry

Miller WD

Buena Vista WSD

Friant-Kern Canal

Cross Valley Canal

Lost Hills WD

Berrenda Mesa WD

5

Arvin-Edison WSD

Kern County Water Agency

California Aqueduct is Key for Recovery

Water recovered from Water recovered from banking projects banking projects mustmustbe pumped into the be pumped into the California Aqueduct. California Aqueduct. Downstream areas, Downstream areas, primarily MWD, are primarily MWD, are affected by water affected by water quality.quality.

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

43

119

99

166

55

184

43

46

33

58

58

33

46

Delano-Earlimart ID Rag Gulch WD

Kern-Tulare WD

Southern San

Joaquin MUD

North Kern WSD Cawelo

WDShafter-

Wasco ID

Rosedale-Rio Bravo WSD KCWA

Improvement District No.

4 Arvin-Edison WSD

Kern Delta WD

Wheeler Ridge-Maricopa WSD

Henry Miller WDWest Kern

WD

Buena Vista WSD

Semitropic WSD

Lost Hills WD

Berrenda Mesa WD

Devils Den WD

Belridge WSD

Lake Isabella

California Aqueduct

Bakersfield

Semitropic WSD

Semitropic WSD

Arvin-Edison WSD

KCWA Improvement District No. 4

Buena Vista WSD

Rosedale-Rio Bravo WSD

Kern Delta WD

Cawelo WD

Wheeler Ridge-Maricopa WSD

North Kern WSD

Kern County has made Kern County has made major investments since the major investments since the 19871987--92 drought.92 drought.

Kern County Water Agency

Response to Shortages

Wheeler RidgeWheeler Ridge--Maricopa BankingMaricopa Banking

City of Bakersfield 2,800 AcresCity of Bakersfield 2,800 AcresBerrenda Mesa BankingBerrenda Mesa BankingPioneer BankingPioneer BankingKern Water BankKern Water BankSemitropic/MWD/et al BankingSemitropic/MWD/et al BankingArvinArvin--Edison/MWD BankingEdison/MWD Banking

Buena Vista BankingBuena Vista BankingRosedaleRosedale--Rio Bravo BankingRio Bravo BankingKern Delta/MWD BankingKern Delta/MWD BankingCawelo/Dudley Ridge BankingCawelo/Dudley Ridge BankingNorth Kern/MWD BankingNorth Kern/MWD Banking

ID#4/KTRG BankingID#4/KTRG Banking

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Kern Fan ProjectsHistoric Recharge/Recovery Operations

FACTORS INFLUENCING DEPTH TO GROUNDWATERHydrograph for well 30S/24E-02C01 (North of Elk Preserve)

-

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

19351940

19451950

19551960

19651970

19751980

19851990

19952000

2005

Dep

th to

Gro

undw

ater

(fee

t)

-

500,000

1,000,000

1,500,000

2,000,000

2,500,000

3,000,000

3,500,000

4,000,000

4,500,000

5,000,000

Ker

n R

iver

Flo

w (a

cre

feet

)

Kern River Natural Flow at First Pointof Measurement (5 Year Average)

Depth to Groundw ater

Increased demands after W orld War II

Completion of Lake Isabella

Completion of California Aqueduct

Construction of Cross Valley Canal

Recharge commences

on KWB and Pioneer Projects

Development of James Pioneer I.D.

Completion of Kern River Canal

Recovery Commences on KWB and Pioneer Projects

Kern County Water Agency

Groundwater Banking

Banking projects cannot be duplicated everywhere Banking projects cannot be duplicated everywhere (politics, geology, geography, infrastructure).(politics, geology, geography, infrastructure).

They have their limitations (slow rate of reservoir They have their limitations (slow rate of reservoir cycling).cycling).

Access to highAccess to high--flow or excess supplies is needed.flow or excess supplies is needed.Preservation of open space in areas with sandy soilsPreservation of open space in areas with sandy soils

is needed.is needed.

Kern County Water Agency

Groundwater Banking