LOS ANGELES — California officials have joined a legal effort to restore water to the Kern River after an abrupt shutoff of water dried up the river and killed thousands of fish in Bakersfield. Bonta announced Monday that he and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife filed a brief supporting the environmental groups in their case before the state’s Fifth District Court of Appeal. It followed an appeals court ruling that cleared the way for city officials and water managers to reduce flows upstream, keeping some water behind a dam and sending other supplies to farms. It requires that all dam owners and operators release sufficient water to keep fish below the dams in “good condition.”Six environmental groups have also cited this statute in their case. Last year, a judge granted the environmental groups a preliminary injunction requiring the city to ensure sufficient water to keep the river flowing and provide for fish.

Source: Los Angeles Times October 14, 2024 22:05 UTC