District Size: 1,127,880 acres Year Formed: The Eastern Kern County Resource Conservation Dist Projects: Water Resources
The water resource in the Eastern Kern County RCD is ground water, with springs and riparian areas on the East Side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. In the southern portion of the District Antelope Valley Eastern Kern Water Agency (AVEK) is a major supplier of water. This portion of our District is listed on the Clean Water Action Plan Watershed (CWAP) Map number 18090206a.
Nearly all of the ground water of the District has been developed for municipal and agricultural supply purposes. Through the District there are private wells for domestic use. In the Indian Wells Valley portion of the District the watershed comes from the Argus Mountain range on the East, the Coso Mountain range on the North, the Sierra Nevada Mountain range on the West, and the El Paso and the Rademacher Mountain ranges on the South. This portion is listed on the CWAP Map as number 18090205a.
Water Studies: The EKCRCD has funded studies within its district boundaries with augmentation funds provided by Kern County. The EKCRCD has contracted several geohydrology and geochemistry studies within its boundaries.
Indian Wells Valley (IWV) Groundwater Issues: The Indian Wells Valley Cooperative Groundwater Management Group is addressing issues of large scale pumping, groundwater levels, long term supply, water quality and conservation. The RCD is a signatory member.
Flood Control is an important watershed issue, along with soil erosion. The RCD works with the Coordinated Resource Management Plan (CRMP) group for flood management in the Indian Wells Valley.
Native Plant Nursery: The RCD is looking into starting a Native Plant Nursery for conservation projects. Overview: Climate
The Eastern Kern County RCD has hot, dry summers and mild to cold winters. It has two physiographic provinces - the mountains and the desert.
Soils
A detailed "interim soil survey" covering the northeastern portion of Kern County was completed in 1997. Information is available to landowners on a request basis.
Agriculture
The District has some agricultural producers such as hay farms, onion growers, orchards of pistachios, almonds, peaches, apricots, and pecans. Within the District there are two Ostrich farms and various small acreages of irrigated pastureland.
Plant and Animal Resources
The predominant vegetation is Mojave creosote bush scrub. Typical shrub species found in this District include: bursage, spiny hopsage, winterfat, Fremont delea, desert senna, Nevada mormon tea, cheesebush, Anderson wolfberry, white brittlebush, allscale, desert holly, fourwing saltbush, shadscale, rubber rabbitbrush, and cholla and beavertail cactus.
Animals common to the District are small mammals such as Antelope ground squirrel, Mojave ground squirrel, kangaroo rats, pack rats, bats, etc. Larger mammals include the kit fox, coyote, badger, and the bobcat. Largest mammals are burros, wild horses, mountain lions and bears.
Reptiles include sidewinders, Mojave green rattlesnakes, king snakes, red racers, many varieties of lizards, and horned lizards, as well as the desert tortoise (federally listed endangered species). There are many species of birds from eagles, horned owls, burrowing owls, ravens, roadrunners, white crowned sparrows, cactus wrens, to hummingbirds. LeConte's thrasher and the Inyo Species brown towhee are of special interest.
Air
The Kern County Air Pollution Control Board has authority in this area. The EKCRCD has periodic tree sales to address air quality. We will continue to research ideas and methods to improve the Fugitive Dust problem within our District.
Major Roads and Rails
U.S. Highway 395 and Interstate Highway 14 traverse the District extending North and South. Interstate 58 runs through the District East and West. The Union Pacific and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroads run North and South through the District with the Trona Spur running East and West.
Alternate Energy
Within the District there is wind, geothermal, and solar mirror energy.
