Conservation efforts may grow
The Madera County Board of Supervisors moved forward on several plans to combat severe water issues this week, including the implementation of additional requirements on every new business development, even agricultural, before it gets approved.
Though nothing was finalized Tuesday, the board voted unanimously on three items that will, if eventually passed after tweaking by staff, beef up the county’s conservation efforts and attempt to reign in as much as 150,000 acre-feet of groundwater overdraft each year.
All the items followed a groundwater report by the Madera County Grand Jury last month, which accused the board of inaction on water problems and, in particular, essentially rolling over to agricultural interests.
Board chairman Tom Wheeler acknowledged the Grand Jury’s comments during Tuesday’s meeting, and said it was time for he and his colleagues to “step up to the plate.” ...