Running on empty: Ventura County puts curbs on water well drilling
As the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act sits on the table for 2015, some water wells in the Tri-Counties are already facing new limitations after the Ventura County Board of Supervisors issued an emergency well-drilling moratorium on Oct. 28 with a 4-1 vote.
Pumpkin growers spooked by drought conditions
With an emergency drought in full swing, tri-county pumpkins farmers had to cut back acreage and plant the seasonal crop a little earlier than usual to avoid over-ripening or rotting.
Herds shrink, ranchers suffer as drought takes toll
Cattle ranchers all over the Tri-Counties are reeling from the effects of the drought, with the last decade of unusually warm, dry conditions making the industry especially difficult to continue in the county where it has previously prospered most — San Luis Obispo.
Groundwater rules and mandatory sick leave in spotlight
While the water law will introduce formal management to many basins in the region for the first time, it doesn’t fundamentally change the idea of proprietary groundwater rights. In employment law, starting next summer, California businesses of all sizes will have to give all employees — part-time, full-time or even temporary, exempt or non-exempt — at least three days a year of paid sick time.
Editorial: Paso Robles makes progress on water issue
Gov. Jerry Brown has proved himself to be adept at the use of sharp elbows and brute power to get what he wants. His water bond is a clear example of the use of power to tame public policy — it paves the way for voters to approve a scaled-down, $7 billion issue that would Read More →
Funding farming’s future: USDA tags Tri-Counties for program
A $10 billion federal fund from the U.S. Department of Agriculture could provide much-needed assistance for developing water systems and other infrastructure in the Tri-Counties, where the region’s agriculture industry has suffered tremendous losses from the drought. The USDA has designated Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties as “drought disaster counties” as Read More →
Location, location is key to drought outlook for region’s vintners
California’s production of wine grapes is likely to decline this year after record yields in 2012 and 2013, but it’s uncertain whether the booming Central Coast will join in the slide.
