Director’s Note

I am so pleased to be writing my first annual report note as the new Inyo County Water Director. I came to the Water Department in December 2022 as Deputy Director to learn from and be guided by Director Aaron Steinwand as he tran- sitioned into retirement. While I have a 20-year background in studying water resources in the Eastern Sierra, learning the intricacies of the Long Term Water Agreement and its myriad applications has been a daunting020 challenge. The 50- year history of the struggle between Inyo and LA is precedent-setting in the world of Western water.

The first few months in this new position have been a time of great learning for me. Along with getting to know the peo- ple, the workflow, and the documents of the Water Department, the wettest winter in California’s recorded history start- ed a mere few weeks after I began work at the County. Several people commented to me that 2023 would be an “easy” year because of the plentiful water, and while it is good to be out of drought (however temporarily), a big water year comes with its own challenges. For me, the lesson of early 2023 is that we will continue to experience more extreme extremes – both wet and dry – with climate change.

Most of the 2022-23 reporting period was marked by drought, and we observed corresponding impacts to groundwater levels, soil water, and vegetation. Yet by early 2023, the situation was changing. Large amounts of precipitation, in- cluding significant rain-on-snow events, recharged groundwater and soil moisture,

leading to overall shallower water tables by spring 2023 and a reduction of perma- nent vegetation monitoring sites in OFF status from 11 to six. The question now is, how will groundwater-dependent vegetation respond? We will be looking closely at the results from our 2023 monitoring to understand which areas are still trending below goals despite the record precipitation.

You’ll see we’re trying a new (but old) format for the annual report. For the first 15 years or so of the Water Department, the annual report was published in a news- letter format – the Owens Valley Monitor. The newsletter contained short articles covering the various activities of the Water Department and conditions seen on the ground. In later years, and with advancement of technology, the annual report grew in size and was primarily housed on the internet. Starting this year, we will take a hybrid approach: a return to the Owens Valley Monitor newsletter, with executive summary-type articles, and longer-form report sections and background information that will be posted to the website in their usual location (https:// www.inyowater.org/documents/reports/inyo-county-water-dept-annual-report/).

Let us know what you think!      —Holly