Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Court Says Boswell's Heavy Equipment Can Block Pipeline Project for Now
By admin
Published 3 years ago on
February 11, 2022

Share

 

The water fight between Kings County’s two largest growers will continue with heavy equipment intended to block a pipeline project allowed to remain in place on the Tulare Lake Canal banks.

Lois Henry

SJV Water

The Tulare Lake Canal Company, controlled by J.G. Boswell Company, moved the equipment onto the canal banks in late January to block trenching for a pipeline by Sandridge Partners, controlled by John Vidovich.

Sandridge filed a restraining order to have the excavators, bulldozers, and trucks removed, but Kings County Superior Court Judge Valerie Chrissakes denied that request on Thursday.

Chrissakes said while she disagreed with the “self-help” approach Tulare Lake Canal Company had taken in blockading the pipeline, Sandridge hadn’t shown that it would suffer “irreparable injury” if the project were delayed a few weeks while complaints filed by each entity against the other are heard in court.

Boswell Attorney: Where Is the Water Going?

Those complaints, one by Tulare Lake Canal Company seeking an injunction to stop the pipeline project and the other by Sandridge seeking to stop the blockade, will be heard on Feb. 25.

Until then, the equipment, some sporting the distinctive diamond “B” logo of the Boswell company, remains in place on the canal. Boswell employees are also at the site, including a night watchman, according to workers at the canal Thursday.

Though Tulare Lake has said its intent is to protect the canal, it is clearly also concerned about the purpose of the pipeline.

In arguing that Sandridge didn’t meet the urgency requirement for its restraining order request, Tulare Lake Canal Company attorney Leonard Herr asked “Where is the water going? When will it be used? Who is going to use it? Without that information, your honor, I don’t think this case is entitled to the emergency that (Sandridge is) claiming.”

Sandridge said it needs to complete the pipeline and start moving water quickly to “pre irrigate thousands of acres.” It did not, however, provide any contracts or cropping information as to the need for the pre irrigation, which Judge Chrissakes noted in her denial of the restraining order.

Latest Battle Between Farming Titans

Heavy equipment lines Tulare Canal banks to block trenching for a pipeline under the canal. (Source: Sandridge Partners cross-complaint)

This fight between Boswell and Sandridge is just the latest between the two farming giants, which own more than 230,000 acres in Kings County between them. Both entities are large growers in Kern County as well.

This latest stalemate is reminiscent of past Kings County water wars when Boswell and then rival Salyer Land Company often fought over levees to keep floodwater off their lands.

The Kings River Water Association, where Boswell is a major rights holder, is suing Tulare Lake Reclamation District 761, controlled by Vidovich, for shipping its Kings River water to the Dudley Ridge Water District in western Kings County. The association contends that those lands aren’t in the river’s “service area.” A trial is set for December 2022.

Boswell and Vidovich are also on opposite sides of an attempt by Semitropic Water Storage District in Kern County to gain rights to Kings River floodwater. The Kern water district has claimed rights holders in the Kings River Water Association aren’t fully using the water and has applied to the state Water Resources Control Board.

If it gets that floodwater, Semitropic plans to store it on land owned by Vidovich near Kettleman City, between the Blakeley Canal and California Aqueduct. Semitropic has paid him $40 million for an easement and Vidovich would also get a cut of the floodwater and be allowed to use the facilities to move groundwater, per the project contract. The state Water Board began holding hearings on that issue last June.

Boswell’s Past Water Wars

This latest stalemate is reminiscent of past Kings County water wars when Boswell and then rival Salyer Land Company often fought over levees to keep floodwater off their lands.

In the epic 1969 flood year, Boswell had installed a series of pumps to move water off its land onto Salyer’s. Fred Salyer went to the levee with a letter from his attorney, an armed guard, and a tractor and upended the pumps into the river, according to the book “The King of California.”

Boswell bought out Salyer’s land, including its water rights, in 1995 just one year after Vidovich bought his first piece of Kings County farmland in 1994.

About SJV Water

SJV Water is an independent, nonprofit news site dedicated to covering water in the San Joaquin Valley.

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Will California Meet Newsom’s 2035 EV Deadline? It Won’t Even Hit the 2026 Target 

DON'T MISS

Trump Says Putin May Not Want Peace and May Need to Be ‘Dealt With Differently’

DON'T MISS

Is It Bad to Chew Gum All Day?

DON'T MISS

Dollar Doubts Dominate Gathering of Global Economic Leaders

DON'T MISS

US Judge Temporarily Stops West Texas Immigrant Deportations Under Alien Enemies Act

DON'T MISS

Shedeur Sanders’ Long Wait Ends When Browns Take Him in the 5th Round of the NFL Draft

DON'T MISS

Only About Half of Republicans Say Trump Has Focused on the Right Priorities

DON'T MISS

ICE Deports the Mother of an Infant and a 2-Year-Old Who Is a US Citizen

DON'T MISS

Israeli Airstrike Kills 10 People, Half of Them Children

DON'T MISS

Shedeur Sanders Is Still Waiting for a Call as the NFL Draft Enters the Final Day

UP NEXT

Trump Says Putin May Not Want Peace and May Need to Be ‘Dealt With Differently’

UP NEXT

Is It Bad to Chew Gum All Day?

UP NEXT

Dollar Doubts Dominate Gathering of Global Economic Leaders

UP NEXT

US Judge Temporarily Stops West Texas Immigrant Deportations Under Alien Enemies Act

UP NEXT

Shedeur Sanders’ Long Wait Ends When Browns Take Him in the 5th Round of the NFL Draft

UP NEXT

Only About Half of Republicans Say Trump Has Focused on the Right Priorities

UP NEXT

ICE Deports the Mother of an Infant and a 2-Year-Old Who Is a US Citizen

UP NEXT

Israeli Airstrike Kills 10 People, Half of Them Children

UP NEXT

Shedeur Sanders Is Still Waiting for a Call as the NFL Draft Enters the Final Day

UP NEXT

Israel’s AI Experiments in the War in Gaza Raise Ethical Concerns

Dollar Doubts Dominate Gathering of Global Economic Leaders

2 days ago

US Judge Temporarily Stops West Texas Immigrant Deportations Under Alien Enemies Act

2 days ago

Shedeur Sanders’ Long Wait Ends When Browns Take Him in the 5th Round of the NFL Draft

2 days ago

Only About Half of Republicans Say Trump Has Focused on the Right Priorities

2 days ago

ICE Deports the Mother of an Infant and a 2-Year-Old Who Is a US Citizen

2 days ago

Israeli Airstrike Kills 10 People, Half of Them Children

2 days ago

Shedeur Sanders Is Still Waiting for a Call as the NFL Draft Enters the Final Day

2 days ago

Israel’s AI Experiments in the War in Gaza Raise Ethical Concerns

2 days ago

Paul Skenes Strikes Out 9, Wins Duel With Yamamoto in Pirates’ Victory Over Dodgers

2 days ago

Eovaldi Outlasts Verlander as Rangers Beat Giants

2 days ago

Will California Meet Newsom’s 2035 EV Deadline? It Won’t Even Hit the 2026 Target 

It was with brash confidence that Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that by 2035, the only new cars and light trucks sold in California would be e...

21 hours ago

21 hours ago

Will California Meet Newsom’s 2035 EV Deadline? It Won’t Even Hit the 2026 Target 

2 days ago

Trump Says Putin May Not Want Peace and May Need to Be ‘Dealt With Differently’

2 days ago

Is It Bad to Chew Gum All Day?

2 days ago

Dollar Doubts Dominate Gathering of Global Economic Leaders

2 days ago

US Judge Temporarily Stops West Texas Immigrant Deportations Under Alien Enemies Act

2 days ago

Shedeur Sanders’ Long Wait Ends When Browns Take Him in the 5th Round of the NFL Draft

2 days ago

Only About Half of Republicans Say Trump Has Focused on the Right Priorities

2 days ago

ICE Deports the Mother of an Infant and a 2-Year-Old Who Is a US Citizen

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend