The Kern River has been contested for over a century. Lux v. Haggin (1884) was one of the most landmark water law cases in CA history, and it was a legal battle over Kern River water. The rights to the annual outflow of the Kern have been divvied up and changed hands numerous times since Kern County was first settled, and the riverbed in Bakersfield has been dry in all but the wettest years for decades.

This petition isn’t the first push to get the water back in the river, but this time is different. Here’s what has changed since the last major push to get the river back, making it critical that we act now to put pressure on our leaders to resolve this situation:

·Sustainable Groundwater Management Act was passed, forcing water users across the state to balance their groundwater use. This will require the City of Bakersfield to do additional groundwater recharge, for which the river is critical

·Change in Bakersfield City leadership, which may bring new creativity and openness to mutually beneficial compromises between the city and conflicting irrigation districts

·Big victories restoring other CA rivers, most notably the San Joaquin River. After having sections of the river for parts of the year for almost 60 years, the San Joaquin River now has water year-round. This was deemed critical for the survival of the Chinook Salmon and it has been a big boon to the quality of life for Fresno residents

The time is right to change the status quo, but we need your help! In less than a week, we have over 300 signatures. Help us reach 500! Please share the petition with friends, family, neighbors, or on social media (Facebook, Instagram, Nextdoor). Let’s build awareness of this important issue and let’s make our voices heard to restore the Kern River!