To show how little power Inyo County has over groundwater pumping, the Department of Water and Power has ignored Inyo's request for less pumping and will march right ahead with 91,000 acre feet of pumped water this year. Inyo Supervisors had supported 68,500 acre feet to allow the huge run-off to restore some of the water tables dried up by DWP pumps over the years. Inyo pointed to dead or dying plants that need more groundwater. DWP responded with a list of their good deeds, patronizing remarks and rationalizations for more pumping.
Inyo officials continue to talk about what they might do in the face of the Department of Water and Power's refusal to lower this year's groundwater pumping plan. DWP proposed pumping 91,000 acre feet. Based on poor vegetation conditions and water tables still below baseline, Inyo County officials recommended 68,510 acre feet.
Still about ten feet below the state required level, the waters of Mono Lake will likely rise a bit with this year's heavy runoff. The Executive Director of the Mono Lake Committee, Geoff McQuikin, talked to us about current and required conditions.
17 years ago, the State Water Board did order the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to raise the level of Mono Lake to 6392 above sea level and leave a certain amount of water in tributary streams to the lake. The State Board issued that order after ten years of litigation by the Mono Lake Committee and others, including Caltrout. Back then, experts thought the lake level would stabilize at 6392 in about 20 years.
Inyo County has taken legal action that asks the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to reduce the amount of groundwater the agency plans to pump from the Owens Valley in the next year. In recent years, Inyo has let LA get by with more pumping than believed healthy for the Owens Valley but not this year. In a press release, officials point to DWP’s plan to pump 91,000 acre-feet as the “highest level of groundwater pumping by LADWP since 1989.” The release says that by reducing that amount by less than 10%, LA could avoid a “potentially costly legal battle.”
As part of a legal settlement, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power agreed to put some water back in the dried up Lower Owens River. Now, officials want to hear from the public on what kinds of recreation they would like to see developed along the river. A problem on the river – masses of tules.
Another delay in the Inyo-Los Angeles Department of Water and Power groundwater pumping disagreement. The Inyo-LA Technical group met Monday to discuss the fact that Inyo has disputed LA's pumping plan by 8400 acre feet of water planned for export. Inyo officials did explain, again, that they believe the huge runoff year should be used to allow depleted groundwater tables to recover. The Inyo Water Department has data to show areas of concern. Los Angeles officials had a lot of questions for Inyo and wanted to continue the meeting.
In a strongly worded, 7-page letter, Air Pollution Control District Director Ted Schade tears apart the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s refusal to clean up a remaining three square miles of pollution. The refusal, Schade says, is “not based on law or science, is not a reasonable conclusion and would subject the Owens Valley public and environment to many additional years of unhealthful dust.” Schade exposes DWP’s denial of the dust problem as an old tactic described by Schade as “denial, delay and broken promises.” The APCD Director carefully points out that by law and by agreement with DWP, he is bound to examine the lake bed for ongoing pollution. He credits DWP with reduction of pollution by almost 80% of what was the “largest, single source of PM10 air pollution in the country.”
At a recent meeting of the Inyo-Los Angeles Standing Committee, DWP officials made it clear that they do not want to reduce groundwater pumping and that they will argue illogical procedures to drag out the process.
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