[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 169 (Thursday, October 19, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1391-E1392]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING THE KERN WATER BANK AUTHORITY FOR TWENTY YEARS OF SUCCESSFUL 
                               OPERATION

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. KEVIN McCARTHY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 19, 2017

  Mr. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today and am joined by my 
colleagues from California, Congressman David Valadao and Congressman 
Jim Costa, to recognize an essential resource in our community--the 
Kern Water Bank--and the incredibly positive impact that it has made 
upon California's Central Valley over the past twenty years.
  This year, the Kern Water Bank celebrates twenty years since the 
signing of the 75 year Habitat Conservation Plan, which allowed the 
Water Bank to begin operating at its full capacity in the heart of 
California's San Joaquin Valley. Prior to this monumental agreement, 
the roughly 32-square mile stretch of land on which the Kern Water Bank 
operates today was used largely for farming while California 
experienced wide fluctuations in water supply. The creation of the Kern 
Water Bank Authority and eventually the Kern Water Bank exemplifies the 
innovative and determined spirit of the Kern community and the 
effectiveness with which this community has been able to assist in 
meeting California's water needs.
  Prior to the creation of the Kern Water Bank Authority, the 
California Department of Water Resources sought to create a system that 
would serve as a response to the water shortages that often plagued 
California's agricultural community. The Department of Water Resources 
struggled for years to achieve anything tangible--facing various legal, 
institutional, and environmental setbacks that made the project seem 
nearly impossible. It was at this point that the Kern Water Bank 
Authority came to fruition, and through the hard work and cooperation 
of both public and private contributors, the Kern Water Bank was 
finally feasible. Now, after twenty years of successful operation, we 
recognize the degree to which the Kern Water Bank has impacted 
California's water situation, the greater San Joaquin environment and 
the Central Valley community that Congressman Valadao, Congressman 
Costa and I share.
  The daily operations and functions of the Kern Water Bank greatly 
assisted in combating the drought that has plagued California, 
especially throughout the past five years. As Delta pumping was slowly 
reduced, the Kern Water Bank served a particularly important purpose as 
the prominent storage facility for the water that local farmers and 
agricultural communities needed even more desperately in light of the 
drought. Additionally, the Kern Water Bank has become a notable 
wildlife resource of regional significance. The environment created by 
the Kern Water Bank supports many special-status species in alignment 
with the Habitat Conservation Plan and EPA standards, and creates a 
unique wetlands area that serves as a refuge for local wildlife. Very 
rarely do projects of this nature serve so many purposes all at once, 
and we believe that the Kern Water Bank serves as the ideal model for 
other similar projects.
  The Kern Water Bank is the largest operation of its kind in 
California, and has even

[[Page E1392]]

been described as the most effective groundwater storage program in the 
United States. It is with great pride that Congressman Valadao, 
Congressman Costa and I recognize the vast success of the Kern Water 
Bank Authority and the Kern Water Bank. We look forward to witnessing 
the continued efforts of the Bank in serving the water needs of the 
Central Valley.

                          ____________________