California Farmers Face Lawsuits Over Groundwater Rights
By AMY TAXIN | Associated Press
In the hills of California farm country, one farmer is caught in a legal battle over groundwater rights. Lee Harrington, a pistachio tree farmer near the tiny town of New Cuyama, is one of many residents sued by Grimmway Farms and Bolthouse Farms, two major carrot growers, who are fighting for control over groundwater pumping.
The lawsuit has forced the community to shoulder expensive legal fees and has ignited a boycott against carrots, urging people to “Stand with Cuyama”. Residents are bewildered by the carrot growers’ demands for water and frustrated by the lack of state restrictions on groundwater pumping.
This legal dispute reflects the growing conflicts over water resources in California, a state responsible for a significant portion of the country’s produce. Previously, California had no regulations on groundwater, allowing individuals to drill wells as needed. However, amid a severe drought and land subsidence due to excessive pumping, the state implemented a law in 2014 mandating the formation of local groundwater sustainability agencies to manage water basins and ensure long-term sustainability.
This shift has led to a surge of lawsuits like the one in Cuyama, as property owners defend their rights to the groundwater beneath their land. Areas like Oxnard, Pleasant Valley, and San Diego County have also faced similar legal battles. As stricter rules governing groundwater are enacted, more regions are expected to experience these conflicts.
Grimmway Farms and Bolthouse Farms participated in the creation of the local groundwater sustainability agency and plan, but they believe that other farmers are not facing the same pumping cutbacks. They seek a fair solution that reduces pumping across the entire basin, not just on their specific properties.
While Grimmway Farms acknowledges the need to conserve water and has adopted more efficient irrigation methods, it still considers Cuyama an ideal region for growing carrots due to the arid climate and soil conditions.
The lawsuit, ongoing since two years ago, is scheduled for an initial hearing in January. Bolthouse Farms recently requested to withdraw as a plaintiff, stating that it has no water rights as a tenant grower and intends to reduce its water usage by 65% by 2040.
Local residents fear the consequences of a prolonged legal battle, as they rely on groundwater for daily activities and worry about the future viability of their community. As the case unfolds, Cuyama serves as a significant example of the challenges and uncertainties faced in the struggle for water resources.
About the Author: Amy Taxin is a journalist for the Associated Press.
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California’s Growing Water Conflict
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Demand for California Carrots Spurs Water Dispute
As one of California’s major agricultural commodities, the carrot industry finds itself at the center of a contentious legal fight over water rights.
Note: This article is funded by the Walton Family Foundation, and the Associated Press is solely responsible for its content. For more coverage on climate and environment, visit https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment.
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