groundwater-pumpbp-1The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has issued its Annual Operations Plan which includes groundwater pumping.

In a letter to Inyo Water Director Bob Harrington, DWP Aqueduct Manager Jim Yannotta says DWP plans to pump between 36,920 and 47,930 acre feet in the first six months of the 2014-2015 runoff year. Yannotta says, “As in past years, the majority of groundwater pumping is planned for the first six months of the year.” Yannotta says that while LADWP has not yet developed a specific groundwater pumping plan for the second six months of the runoff year, “total groundwater pumping during the year is anticipated to be in the 65,000 acre-feet range.”

DWP’s Operations Plan summary says that the forecast for Eastern Sierra runoff for the Owens River Basin is 50% of normal. DWP says in the case of two consecutive dry years with a forecasted runoff below 75%, DWP must prepare two six month operations plans.

DWP’s report to Inyo County says that of 26 Enhancement/ Mitigation Projects supposed to be done in the Valley, “24 of these have been completed or are being implemented, and two are in the final stages of implementation.” The report further says that of 42 other mitigation projects identified, 29 are complete, ten are partially implemented and three are in the design phase. LA and Inyo signed the agreement requiring these projects in 1997.

Examples of amounts DWP wants to pump in individual wellfields include these:

Laws – between 5,760 and 7,200 acre feet. Bishop – 7,200 to 8,700 acre feet. Big Pine – 10,200 to 11,550 acre feet. Taboose-Aberdeen – 1,500 to 4,500 acre feet. Independence – 4,280 to 6,600 acre feet. Lone Pine – 580 acre feet.

Inyo County will respond to DWP’s plans and then the Technical Group of both sides will discuss any differences.

Discover more from Sierra Wave: Eastern Sierra News

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading