Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Prime Minister of Yemen’s Houthi Government Killed in Israeli Strike

2 days ago

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Signs Law Redrawing Congressional Maps

3 days ago

US Air Force will Offer Military Funeral Honors to Slain Capitol Rioter

3 days ago

US Republican Senator Joni Ernst Will Not Run for Re-Election, CBS News Reports

3 days ago

Wall Street Falls as Dell, Nvidia Drive Tech Losses

3 days ago

US Denies Visas to Palestinian Officials Ahead of UN General Assembly

3 days ago

Minneapolis Children Revealed Courage, Absorbed Fear During Church Shooting

3 days ago

Ford Recalls Nearly 500,000 Vehicles Over Brake Fluid Leak

4 days ago

Fresno-Bound Passenger Says Delta Attendant Slapped Him, Seeks $20M

4 days ago
Boswell-Vidovich Water War Could Bring State Control of Region’s Groundwater
By admin
Published 3 years ago on
July 29, 2022

Share

 

The latest blow in an ongoing water war between two Kings County agricultural titans may put control of the entire region’s groundwater into state hands.

Lois Henry

Lois Henry portrait

SJV Water

Analysis

The J.G. Boswell Farming Company and Sandridge Partners, controlled by John Vidovich, have been scuffling over water in court, on ditch banks, and even in the air with accusations on both sides of various types of water skulduggery.

On July 22, the Southwest Kings Groundwater Sustainability Agency, controlled by Vidovich, voted to approve the region’s groundwater plan subject to an addendum that state representatives warned — during the meeting – could nullify the plan and lead to state control over groundwater.

The problem is, all five GSAs in the Tulare Lake subbasin presented a single plan for the area and this new addendum would have to be approved by the other four agencies, which hasn’t happened and isn’t likely to.

In part, the Southwest Kings GSA addendum states: “To the extent allowable by law, the GSAs will work with local and state regulatory agencies to prevent the inefficient storage of groundwater in shallow basins.”

Vidovich Accuses Boswell of Sinking Land

That may sound innocuous, but it stems from a long-standing complaint by Vidovich that Boswell has been pumping massive amounts of groundwater and storing it in shallow basins for later irrigation. The pumping, he contends, has exacerbated the area’s already significant subsidence, land sinking, and is a tremendous waste of water as much evaporates before it can be used.

Boswell has steadfastly declined to answer questions from SJV Water about the pumping and water storage. And, again, no response was received to an email requesting comment from Jeof Wyrick, vice president of Boswell Farming and board president of the El Rico GSA in Kings County.

But Boswell has leveled its own complaints against Vidovich. In a court case over a large pipeline Vidovich is building from the Lemoore area and running for more than 10 miles to the southwest,  Boswell’s attorney has asked what water would be moved in the line and whether it would be shipped outside of Kings County.

Vidovich, through the Southwest Kings GSA and by numerous other means, has made several complaints to state officials about Boswell’s use of groundwater, alleging that Boswell has been moving or selling off its surface water from the State Water Project and Kings River, creating an over-reliance on groundwater for the company’s local crops.

Boswell Lake SJV Water
Several canals feed groundwater into a shallow basin in Kings County in this late April photo. A large farming entity, Sandridge Partners, has accused fellow large grower J.G. Boswell Co. of filling the basin with groundwater for irrigation. (SJV Water/Lois Henry)

The director of the Department of Water Resources, Karla Nemeth,  acknowledged to SJV Water in a previous article that it appeared outgoing surface water transfers and excessive pumping didn’t make good water sense in Kings County. But, she said, her department had no enforcement authority. That would fall to the State Water Resources Control Board under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, she said.

Which is where July 22’s vote at the Southwest Kings GSA comes into play.

Under SGMA, groundwater agencies filed plans with DWR explaining how they would replenish aquifers bringing them into balance by 2040.

No plans in the San Joaquin Valley passed muster and DWR gave groundwater agencies until Wednesday, July 27, to correct deficiencies and resubmit their plans.

DWR listed three significant deficiencies in the plan that covers Kings County including inconsistent findings and planning for subsidence caused by excessive groundwater pumping.

The GSAs were in the process of approving the plan for resubmittal when the Southwest Kings GSA subjected its approval to the addendum aimed at Boswell’s groundwater pumping.

“We had a consultation with DWR and they stated there is a likelihood that this will cause the plan to have an incomplete status and initiate state intervention,” said Deanna Jackson, general manager of Southwest Kings GSA.

She added that the DWR representatives were on the Zoom meeting when the resolution was approved.

Despite their warnings, the addendum was approved 3-2 with board chair Vidovich voting “aye.”

Other Boswell-Vidovich Disputes

But this is just one of several ongoing Boswell-Vidovich skirmishes.

Aside from the pipeline lawsuit, Sandridge has sued Boswell for allegedly overfilling the storage basin the company is pumping groundwater into and it is suing Boswell for allegedly “buzzing” cattle on its lands with a large helicopter in retaliation for the Sandridge pipeline, according to that lawsuit.

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 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 flood water. 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.

About SJV Water

SJV Water is an independent, nonprofit news site dedicated to covering water in the San Joaquin Valley. Get inside access to SJV Water by becoming a member.

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

Fresno County Garnet Fire Grows to 18,748 Acres in Sierra National Forest

DON'T MISS

US Judge Blocks Deportations of Unaccompanied Migrant Children to Guatemala

DON'T MISS

Israel Pounds Gaza City Suburbs, Netanyahu to Convene Security Cabinet

DON'T MISS

Thousands in Australia March Against Immigration, Government Condemns Rally

DON'T MISS

Trump Says He Will Order Voter ID Requirement for Every Vote

DON'T MISS

Greta Thunberg Joins Flotilla Heading for Gaza With Aid

DON'T MISS

Chicago Mayor Says Police Will Not Aid Federal Troops or Agents

DON'T MISS

Post-War Gaza Plan Sees Relocation of Population, ‘Digital Token’ for Palestinian Land: Washington Post

DON'T MISS

Labor Day Quiz: Do You Know What a Knocker-Upper Is?

DON'T MISS

Bulldogs Check All the Boxes in Runaway Win Over Georgia Southern

UP NEXT

US Judge Blocks Deportations of Unaccompanied Migrant Children to Guatemala

UP NEXT

Israel Pounds Gaza City Suburbs, Netanyahu to Convene Security Cabinet

UP NEXT

Thousands in Australia March Against Immigration, Government Condemns Rally

UP NEXT

Trump Says He Will Order Voter ID Requirement for Every Vote

UP NEXT

Greta Thunberg Joins Flotilla Heading for Gaza With Aid

UP NEXT

Chicago Mayor Says Police Will Not Aid Federal Troops or Agents

UP NEXT

Post-War Gaza Plan Sees Relocation of Population, ‘Digital Token’ for Palestinian Land: Washington Post

UP NEXT

Labor Day Quiz: Do You Know What a Knocker-Upper Is?

UP NEXT

Bulldogs Check All the Boxes in Runaway Win Over Georgia Southern

UP NEXT

Judge Blocks Pillar of Trump’s Mass Deportation Campaign

Thousands in Australia March Against Immigration, Government Condemns Rally

16 hours ago

Trump Says He Will Order Voter ID Requirement for Every Vote

16 hours ago

Greta Thunberg Joins Flotilla Heading for Gaza With Aid

16 hours ago

Chicago Mayor Says Police Will Not Aid Federal Troops or Agents

16 hours ago

Post-War Gaza Plan Sees Relocation of Population, ‘Digital Token’ for Palestinian Land: Washington Post

16 hours ago

Labor Day Quiz: Do You Know What a Knocker-Upper Is?

17 hours ago

Bulldogs Check All the Boxes in Runaway Win Over Georgia Southern

1 day ago

Judge Blocks Pillar of Trump’s Mass Deportation Campaign

2 days ago

Classic Cars Will Still Need a Smog Test in California After Lawmakers Reject Jay Leno Bill

2 days ago

Visalia Driver Arrested for DUI After Multiple Crashes and Pedestrian Injured

2 days ago

Fresno County Garnet Fire Grows to 18,748 Acres in Sierra National Forest

A lightning-sparked wildfire, the Garnet Fire, in the Sierra National Forest has burned 18,748 acres in Fresno County and remains at 8% cont...

16 hours ago

Photo: USDA - Forest Service Tanker 40 at Fresno Air Attack Base. The Fresno County Garnet Fire in the Sierra National Forest has burned 18,748 acres and is 8% contained as crews make progress on containment lines while bracing for possible thunderstorms early this week. (Sam Wu/USFS)
16 hours ago

Fresno County Garnet Fire Grows to 18,748 Acres in Sierra National Forest

U.S. flag and Judge gavel are seen in this illustration taken, August 6, 2024. (Reuters File)
16 hours ago

US Judge Blocks Deportations of Unaccompanied Migrant Children to Guatemala

Smoke rises from Gaza after an explosion, as seen from the Israeli side of the border, August 31, 2025. (Reuters/Amir Cohen)
16 hours ago

Israel Pounds Gaza City Suburbs, Netanyahu to Convene Security Cabinet

Demonstrators hold a banner during the 'March for Australia' anti-immigration rally, in Sydney, Australia, August 31, 2025. REUTERS/Hollie Adams
16 hours ago

Thousands in Australia March Against Immigration, Government Condemns Rally

President Donald Trump walks on the grounds of the Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia, U.S., August 30, 2025. (Reuters/Nathan Howard)
16 hours ago

Trump Says He Will Order Voter ID Requirement for Every Vote

Activists Yasemin Acar, Greta Thunberg and Thiago Avila attend a press conference before the departure of the Global Sumud Flotilla, a humanitarian expedition to Gaza, at the port of Barcelona, Spain August 31, 2025. (Reuters/Eva Manez)
16 hours ago

Greta Thunberg Joins Flotilla Heading for Gaza With Aid

National Guard troops wear gas masks during protests against federal immigration sweeps, in Los Angeles, California, U.S., June 12, 2025. (Reuters File)
16 hours ago

Chicago Mayor Says Police Will Not Aid Federal Troops or Agents

A view of tents sheltering Palestinians displaced by the Israeli military offensive, in Gaza City, August 23, 2025. (Reuters File)
16 hours ago

Post-War Gaza Plan Sees Relocation of Population, ‘Digital Token’ for Palestinian Land: Washington Post

Search

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

Send this to a friend