Is Water Availability an Elemental Concern?

Sally Lawrence REALTOR®, http://yourrealadvantage.com, 661.375.7325I’ve written before about what a great place Stallion Springs is to live. I’ll stand by all my previous praise.

One of the things that makes Stallion Springs such a great place is the willingness of its residents to join together and fight for what they believe to be right.  Here’s another one of those opportunities that is galvanizing folks on both sides of the issue.

Stallion Springs is in danger of losing its water supply. Perhaps that sounds a bit overly dramatic, but read on to see what’s going on.

Where does Stallion Springs water come from?  Stallion Springs draws most of its water from the Cummings Valley basin.  In addition to Stallion Springs, Bear Valley Springs, Fairview Ranches, CCI (California Corrections Institute) and a number of agricultural users also draw their water from the Cummings Valley Basin.

In recent years the water usage within the basin has approached the published “safe yield.”  In at least one year, usage has exceeded the safe yield.

Why does it matter?  Users within the basin are able to draw water without having to recharge the basin.  Stallion Springs and Bear Valley Springs have to recharge the basin for the water that they draw out.

As a result of the virtually unrestricted pumping allowed within the basin, the water table has dropped by 50 feet in the last decade.

If things continue unabated, it is possible that Stallion Springs could indeed lose its affordable water supply.

Sally Lawrence REALTOR®, HomeSalesSally, http://homeSalesSally.com, 661.375.7325What is an alternative?  Recurrent Energy had proposed a solar project for 300 acres within the Cummings Valley.  That project would reduce the ground water pumping for those 300 acres to an insignificant amount.  Even better for Stallion Springs, the proposed solar project is located near the wells that Stallion Springs owns in Cummings Valley.

My personal take as a Stallion Springs resident is that I would prefer to see the Cummings Valley left pretty much as-is.  Unfortunately, I don’t see that as a reality.  It seems to me that the valley will continue to change and that a solar project may actually be a better use of those 300 acres than unrestricted water pumping by an agricultural user as we had before.

What can you do?  If you are a resident, or just interested in the outcome of this important issue, please contact Zack Scrivener, the 2nd District Supervisor by scrivnerz@co.kern.ca.us, phone his office at 661-868-3660 or fax 661-868-3666. Let him know that keeping water available in Stallion Springs is important to you.

Please forward this to everyone you know.  If you like the content, subscribe for free on the right.

Finally, I’d appreciate it if you would copy me at Water@HomeSalesSally.com on any correspondence to Mr. Scrivner so that I can keep track of the interest level.

As always, thanks for reading.  If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at 661.375.REAL

8 thoughts on “Is Water Availability an Elemental Concern?

  1. thanks for the up-date, Eleanor McKenna and I are in Montana with family now. We will be back on Jan 7. Will do what we can then, Again, thank you for the information. John Ad Eleanor

  2. This ugly industrial solar facility will not secure water for Stallion Springs because it is not a forever project. Stallion needs to step up to the plate and buy land to secure water in Cummings Valley. Now is the time to do it, before it becomes less affordable. Stallion can buy land at ag rates and secure water. Bear Valley has already done so. If solar was such a good idea for the Cummings Valley, why did the SSCSD ask for no additional solar farms in Cummings Valley after this one? I believe this solar facility will bring down property values in Stallion Springs. It will sure change the flavor of the entry into Stallion. If I were a potential property owner and I drove by a solar farm and then to Stallion, I would choose not to buy there, expecting the entire Cummings Valley (and my view) to become industrial solar anyway (once you get a foot in the door…)
    The Tehachapi-Cummings County Water District didn’t take a position on this project, and it is watermaster for this area. Plus, this project is a job killer – we lose jobs when this land goes from agricultural to solar. Plus the County gets no additional tax revenues because solar is exempt from additional taxes. Meanwhile, the solar company gets tax breaks.

    There are also a number of other reasons to oppose this project and I’lll be glad to discuss them with anyone. I can’t imagine realtors would be supportive of a project that will be a visual blight to many in the area.

    Janice Hagen Armstrong

  3. I could not disagree more with the thought of beautiful Cumming Valley defaced by such an industrial presence. What ever little the water table would be raised by this project would have about as much effect as this project would on the electric grid. Which is to say very little. Supporting this is only expedient when what is needed is wisdom. SS needs to look for water sources that will be long term and controllable. In the long run the only one who will benefit from this is the current land owner. I agree with Jan. SS should bite the bullet and buy some of the valley now.
    Mike

  4. Hello Sally, I am not in favor of the plant for the same reasons given by Janice Armstrong and those of us who want to preserve farmland. I do like solar energy but not in Cummings Valley. I took time to drive to the desert to observe a solar project. What would need to be done to the land is not pretty. I would be glad to share the photos. Solveig

  5. The Planning Commission voted against these two projects. The proponent appealed both to the Board of Supervisors, then pulled one back, leaving one on appeal, which was scheduled for 1/24/2012. The Planning Department staff report to the Board of Supervisors recommended against the project. Today (1/23/2012) we get the news that the proponent has pulled the second one back. so this project is dead. Good riddance!

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