Big Pine tribe provides insight on groundwater pumping impacts
Agencies commit to lending assistance
The Inyo County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday heard a presentation from the Big Pine Paiute Tribe of the Owens Valley staff and tribal members regarding the impacts that groundwater pumping at Fish Springs Fish Hatchery has had on surrounding lands that used to be lush and green.
The hatchery is on Los Angeles Department of Water and Power land located about three miles south of Big Pine and is considered a major producer of trout for the fishing in nearby waters.
However, recent bacterial outbreaks have disrupted fish production efforts at the hatchery, which, tribal staff and members note, makes it a good time to rethink hatchery operations and its use of groundwater.
Fourth District Supervisor Jen Roeser, whose district includes the Big Pine Paiute
Reservation, said she wanted to provide a forum so the tribe’s concerns could be heard and acted upon.
By the end of the workshop, several tribal members remarked at how they never felt like they had a place at the table in discussing water issues but are hopeful that now maybe their voices will be heard.
Sally Manning, the tribe’s environmental director, and Noah Williams, the tribe’s Water Program coordinator, showed historic photos during their presentations that showed the beforeand-after pumping conditions of the land surrounding the hatchery.
Their presentation included tribal ties to the Fish Springs area and a summary of the “early days,” including how the land was put to agricultural and ranching uses.
In their presentation, they noted that water is supplied to the hatchery from two of LADWP’s largest pumps in the Owens Valley. In total, the wells pump about 20,000 acre feet of water annually.
This equates to about 10 times the amount of water used by the city of Bishop in a year.
Their historical perspective noted that trout were raised at Fish Springs beginning in 1872. Around 1952, the California Dept. of Fish and Game formally established its Fish
Springs Hatchery. For the next two decades, Fish and Game made use of the natural spring water to grow fish.
However, in 1970, according to their presentation, LADWP began using its enlarged “second barrel” of the LA Aqueduct. The agency had installed new pumps in the valley to fill its aqueduct, and around 1970 the new high-capacity pumps at Fish Springs were turned on.
“Fish Springs went dry when LADWP began pumping,” Manning said.
Manning said there is hope for hydrologic improvement as the tribe continues to posit, “Can Fish Springs flow again?”
She said the tribe has reached out to (CDFW), Inyo County and LADWP regarding the issue.
CDFW reports that annual pumping volume could be reduced by about 12% with no effect on fish production. The reduction
could be achieved by installing devices that reduce the output of the pumps.
Manning says that the tribe has determined that 12% is not enough to improve environmental conditions.
Additionally, CDFW has proposed technological upgrades to aeration and filtration systems, which would allow recirculation/ reuse of “raceway” water at the hatchery. This could further reduce the amount of water CDFW needs to pump, according to the presentation.
Tribe’s goals
Manning said the tribe’s goals for Fish Springs include getting the natural spring to flow again, recreate diverse habitat, including wetlands and restore cultural resources.
According to the presentation, by reaching the tribe’s goals, accomplishments could include:
• Aquifer recharge in Big Pine area
• Healing of land and spirit
• Environmental Justice
• Meaningful mitigation for the excessive damage done to resources
• Fish are produced
• Opportunities for jobs, economic diversity and increased tourism
• Water flows naturally to the river.
The tribe’s suggested mechanism to achieve the goals, according to the presentation, is summarized simply as:
• Reduce pumping; 12% is a start, but further reductions must continue.
• Recirculate and reuse pumped water.
• Infiltrate hatchery effluent to recharge the ground water, effectively recycling the water.
Through the mechanism, the tribe notes, hatchery operations can continue, stress on the Big Pine groundwater aquifer will be reduced and ongoing monitoring of groundwater levels and water quality can continue.
A number of other local, state and federal agencies were present during the workshop via Zoom and all voiced support in working with the Big Pine Paiute Tribe of the Owens Valley toward mitigating the situation with some officials describing the condition as an environmental justice issue.
A field trip followed with visits to three sites that showed the impacts of groundwater pumping has had over the decades. The tribe is recommending these sites as recharge areas or ponds.