Enter your email address to receive INSTANT ALERTS of new articles and to be added to SJV Waters WEEKLY NEWSLETTER. The fight has spilled out in public comments on the Tulare Lake Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Plan, which covers most of Kings County. For example, Westlands Water District, which borders Kings County, plans to gather water in heavy rainfall years and inject it into the aquifer to safeguard water levels. declaration by Angiola General Manager Mark Grewal. Posted on August 6, 2018 Bakersfield Californian. About 90% of its farms are considered family owned, according to the 2017 US Department of Agriculture farm census. In addition to inshell and raw . Number two, Angiola is trying to maintain the local aquifer by retiring land to limit pumping. The Water Board began holding hearings on the issue this past summer. Some farmers cant afford to do either, making the difficult decision to get out of agriculture all together. Vidovich later made an offer for Page to come work for him as a consultant or, as Page says in his slow drawl, his firemancause I put out fires.. The corporations and the bigger guys are buying up land left and right for astronomical prices, Smith said. A skill his detractors say hes used to maneuver water away from its rightful place to his own benefit. He came on board full-time in 2011, give or take, he said. river water? But out in the Buena Vista Water Storage District where Vidovich chairs the board, his original detractors all love him, Page said. Longtime friend and associate Ted Page defended Vidovichs operations. Heavy equipment blockading a pipeline project from cutting through a canal was ordered removed on Friday and the pipeline project was halted temporarily by a Kings County Superior Court judge. But he did pass and was admitted to the bar in 1980 at the age of 24. Theres a lot of people who dont like me, but nobody didnt like my dad.. That water would then be moved south through the aqueduct and banked in Semitropic. Lukas works across all aspects of the firm from business development to portfolio company operations. All the rest of that stuff its just jealousy and innuendo, jealousy and innuendo, jealousy and innuendo.. She can be reached atlois.henry@sjvwater.org. Typically, irrigation pipelines taking water from one portion of a farmers land to another dont require permitting. All right reserved. Putting a blockade on the canal banks was not a legitimate use of that easement, he said. nor its destination. The Kings is as erratic a river as the Kern so floodwaters are unpredictable. But this outwardly unassuming multimillionaire has become a lightning rod of controversy. My dad said it from day one, hed rather own all the water than all the gold in the ground, Smith said. Boswell has been woven into the fabric of Kings County since its founder, James Griffin Boswell, first set foot on the old Tulare Lake bed 100 years ago and envisioned a cotton empire. Boswell Farming Company and Sandridge Partners, controlled by John Vidovich. If we had water transfers that we know dont mesh with an approved groundwater sustainability plan, thats going to be a problem for DWRs continued approval of those transfers, Nemeth said, adding that the department will be reevaluating its transfer program to add greater oversight and transparency. Lukas holds an MA in Natural Sciences, an MPhil in Management, and a PhD in Plant Sciences from the University of Cambridge. gcse.async = true; Im actually not supposed to talk about it.. More recently, he filed a voter initiative in 2016 to allow a 48-foot-tall hotel after the Cupertino City Council shot down a De Anza proposal for building a 105-foot-tall hotel in the western Santa Clara Valley town. Home | DMCA | SJV Content Use | Contact, Copyright 2022 SJV Water. But the appellate court still found Vidovich liable and he could still have to pay out a major amount. Exactly how much is moving and who is benefitting from it are more murky questions, as water especially river and groundwater in California is notoriously hard to track. Boswell has also been moving water out of Kings. Boswell has also transferred or sold large chunks of its surface water, both state and Kings River supplies out of the county, over the years. If the State Water Resources Control Board determines that the Kings River Water Association isnt fully using its water rights, it could give those rights away. SunnyGem is the one-stop-shop for your almond needs, packing and shipping California varieties worldwide. Sandridge Partners, controlled by Silicon Valley developer John Vidovich, is a relative newcomer to the region, making large land acquisitions in the last three decades. The land in and around the city of Corcoran has been subsiding for many years, the Southwest Kings GSA comment letter states. At one point, he was moving nearly 30,000 acre feet a year, according to Angiolas records. And Vidovich has said if he had to do it over, he wouldnt make that sale. Vidovich, meanwhile, is accusing Boswell-backed groundwater agencies of dragging their feet on pumping reductions to the point their actions could sink the small, rural town of Corcoran up to another 11 feet. We amalgamate our water to use on our most productive land. Over the past 12 years, hes moved about 137,000 acre feet of his state water from Kings County south to nut orchards he owns on the west side of Kern, according to state and other water district records. Attorneys for Sandridge and Angiola argued the pipeline isnt an Angiola project as it lies outside the districts boundaries. If the State Water Resources Control Board decides not, it could give those rights away. Now, in the grip of yet another devastating drought, Kings County farmers like Walker want to know: Where is the water going? When you have a bowl and only three straws, it takes longer to empty, Walker said. When contacted in December by SJV Water about this new pipeline, Vidovich wouldnt say what type of water it would carry (groundwater? One of Angiolas main well fields is actually inside the Pixley Irrigation District boundaries where water managers were concerned by the amount of water leaving their district. Vidovich continues to run De Anza and in a surprisingly hands-on manner. But the size of farms increased 14.5% from an average 559 acres to 640 acres. Get inside access to SJV Water by becoming a member. But the service area boundaries have yet to be determined. There is some uncertainty by El Rico GSA with regard to this request because of the hidden nature of Sandridges operations, Wyrick wrote in the June 2020 letter. Those are just some of the indirect costs attached to moving large amounts of water out of a region, Zetland said. - John Vidovich, owner of Sandridge Partners. However, state and water district records indicate the Boswell and Sandridge water is largely staying in the valley. Bilyana holds a BSc in Management with first class honours from Cass Business School and is an ICAEW Chartered Accountant. Water is our blood, he said, and theyre stealing it.. Package options range from 25lb cartons to 2,200lb super sacks. The Kings River Water Association, where Boswell is a major rights holder, is suing Tulare Lake Reclamation District 761, controlled by Vidovich, for shipping its Kings River water to Dudley Ridge. Though he insists this flood water isnt being used and is, in fact, a nuisance, locals consider it an attempted theft of the Kings River. A trial date has been set for December 2022. The comment letter from the Southwest Kings GSA, which Vidovich said he wrote the draft for, notes that subsidence from over pumping has been a large and ongoing problem in the Tulare Lake subbasin and the plan submitted to the state simply doesnt do enough to stem that downward trajectory. You may have never heard of John Vidovich, but his impact on the day-to-day life of the average southern San Joaquin Valley farmer is difficult to be understated. Theres nothing hidden about how Sandridge moves water, he said. Water, Latest It has 61 wells capable of pumping a combined 240 cubic feet per second. She commenced her career working administratively for a medium sized American oil company until it was bought by BHP Billiton, where she continued as Executive Assistant running the London office of the Chairman & CEO. Understanding water, water rights and the often complex structures of water districts has become a Vidovich hallmark. Not according to Jeoff Wyrick, Chairman of the El Rico GSA, the largest GSA in the Tulare Lake Subbasin. Clearly, much more can be done to slow down this undesirable result.. Through Sandridge, Vidovich owns about 130,000 acres with 38,500 acres in Kern, 82,000 acres in Kings, 9,500 acres in Tulare and 300 acres in Fresno county, per ParcelQuest. The boundaries of that service area, however, have yet to be determined. The fight between the Tulare Lake Canal Company, controlled by the J.G. SJV Water is an independent, nonprofit news site dedicated to covering water in the San Joaquin Valley. The title Baron Sandridge was given to Churchill by James II in 1685, and was his first English peerage title (his earlier title, Baron Eyemouth, had been created in 1682 by James . Mavens Notebook is an excellent daily accounting of California water happenings statewide. Its just smart business. We are one of the largest vertically integrated almond suppliers in the world. Vidovich made an offer on the land and Page took it. Page had been a longtime board member of the Semitropic Water District and Vidovich wanted that kind of expertise. Latest allegation in Boswell-Vidovich ditch bank battle: Environmental laws were willfully ignored . It will likely never be forgotten that Vidovich sold the rights to 14,000 acre feet of State Water Project water for $79 million in 2009 to the San Bernardino-based Mojave Water District. Whether the water is leaving Kings County for cash payments or to grow crops that will eventually be sold for profit, its all the same thing, said economist David Zetland, who lectures on the politics and economics of water at Leiden University College in the Netherlands. Angiola was ordered to stop pumping and eventually the districts came to a settlement. The plaintiffs, Kings County Ventures and Green. Hes a 61-year-old developer who grew up on a farm in Sunnyvale in the heart of what would become the Silicon Valley. With water from the delta becoming more unreliable, he said, farmers have to hoard land for the groundwater. ECG tells public to buy enough power ahead of Christmas break, African countries urged to review double taxation agreements. Though Boswell and Vidovich both have access to large shares of water, their relationship over this precious resource is downright antagonistic. Karen isnt the only one who feels this way. Water from Angiola Water District will also be moved in the line, according to a declaration by Angiola General Manager Mark Grewal. California Boswell and Sandridge are the two biggest kids on the block when it comes to farming and water in Kings County. Vidovich says the animus against him goes back to his 2009 sale of State Water Project (SWP) contract rights tied to land he owned in the Dudley Ridge Water District in Kings County. But a pipeline, which Vidovich is allowed to build under the Semitropic agreement, could span that distance. Our goal is to supply the highest quality almonds, at competitive prices, to customers worldwide. For the portions that can be tracked through state and other water district records, the water is mostly flowing south to Kern County, much of it from Kings Countys two largest and most powerful farming operations J.G. SGMA refers to the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act passed in 2014 that mandates water basins be in balance by 2040. News Regardless of Thursdays ruling, onlookers can expect it wont be the end of this issue. You dont know the purpose of this pipeline, Tulare Lake Canal Company attorney Leonard Herr told the judge. The giant J.G. What is clear is that over the past 12 years, Boswell and Sandridge have moved a combined 239,000 acre feet of State Water Project water out of Kings County all with approval from the states Department of Water Resources (DWR). It shows something about the thought process that we dont usually get to see, she said, wondering if the letter is a kind of smoking gun that exposes the true intent of the pipeline as a public project thats being hidden.. Farmers in Giant Game of SGMA Dodgeball. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); (function() { Ben works across all aspects of the firm from business development to portfolio company operations. Boswell Company, and Sandridge Partners, controlled by John Vidovich, will be back in court March 23 where Judge Valerie Chrissakis will decide whether the Sandridge pipeline is subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Enforcement could involve pumping limits, fines, and large pumping fees per acre-foot. As for making a major water grab in the Central Valley, Page said Vidovich has nothing on the Wonderful or JG Boswell companies, both of which have far larger land holdings than Vidovich. When you first meet John Vidovich, everything from his ball cap to his dirty boots tells you hes a farmer. The sale is still considered a blow to Kings' water portfolio by other farmers. The company is run from its Pasadena offices by James W. Boswell, chairman, CEO and great-nephew of the founder. transferred or sold large chunks of its surface water, Too little or too much, theres always controversy brewing over Kern River water, Kern River water heads north through flood channel but wont hit Tulare Lake yet, Kaweah River water managers prepare for more high water as the valley heats up, Vibration in Isabella Dam power plant causes temporary halt of Kern River outflows. Sandridge Partners, controlled by Vidovich, is building a 10-mile-long route on its properties to ship water from its wells in the north to its thirsty fields in the south. World, Latest DWR staffers now have two years to decide if the plans come up to snuff or not. Nor for the man who runs it, John Vidovich, nor for his current pipeline project that will move water from various places in Kings County to various other undisclosed locations. The judge on Thursday may find in Sandridges favor as she already issued a tentative ruling last week which noted that, The use of the heavy equipment to stop the pipe project is not a protected tactic under the law.. In fact, his detractors call him the single greatest threat to Central Valley farming ever to come down the pike. Either way, Judge Chrissakis ordered the pipeline halted until she decides whether it should come under CEQA review at a March 23 hearing. gcse.src = 'https://cse.google.com/cse.js?cx=' + cx; Theyve (Vidovich and Hurley) been way out front on SGMA, Mitchell said. Judge Chrissakis found the potential involvement of two public entities, the Stratford Public Utilities District and Angiola Water District, could take the line out of the private realm and require a study of potential environmental impacts. The companies are also at odds over groundwater. Some of that state contracted water appears to have been used in multi-million dollar deals by Boswell, based on the few records that could be tracked, and some has gone to Sandridges own fields in other counties, according to the companys owner. A single walnut requires nearly five gallons of water to produce. By locking up the land, he said, Vidovich will be able to deny smaller farmers like him and Pace the water they need for their own operations. We are driven by agribusiness experts, with hands-on sector specific investment, operations, and business development expertise. Pace farmed in the valley and partnered with Vidovich for a while. Its unclear if Boswell is selling surface water on a regular basis, but according to invoices obtained by SJV Water, the company did sell 49,000 acre feet of its Kings River water out of the county for $47.5 million in 2015 and 2016 and another 35,000 acre feet of river water for an undisclosed amount in 2019. The Boswell comments are ina letter sent from the El Rico GSA, while Vidovichs concerns are outlined ina letter from the Southwest Kings GSA. He certainly looks the part in his well-worn jeans and checkered shirts. Sandridge owns the property that the canal cuts through, he said. Water Resources Director Karla Nemeth acknowledged she had met with representatives of groundwater agencies regarding allegations that Boswell is aggressively pumping its Kings County lands, because its selling off its state water. In exchange, the state would get banking rights in Semitropic, said General Manager Jason Gianquinto. Every step would require environmental oversight, permitting and public hearings. People complain all the time about whats happening with our water, but no one wants to do anything, he said. That was the last straw for Pixley, which sued in 2013. Buttonwillow, California Search Background Check Sandridge Partners, L.P. Business Data 19087 Milan Rd, Buttonwillow, California, 93206 (408) 738-4444 AllBiz Business Profile Background Search FAQ's about John Vidovich Where does John Vidovich work? Not a chance. In terms of special enforcement to shut things down, thats not what SGMA provides to the department, she said. Hes so involved, in fact, he even chairs the monthly meetings for Buena Vista Water Storage District where Sandridge owns thousands of acres. To get there, the pipeline has to cross under a Boswell-controlled canal. The district plans to store flood flows on land next to the California Aqueduct, the main artery that moves water from northern to southern California, then pump it south. Moving well water to irrigate better ground is another Vidovich hallmark. Local Education Vidovich used the $73 million in 2010 to buy nearly 75 percent of the land in the Angiola Water District. The truth, as always, probably lies somewhere in between. Related Story: Groundwater Plan Could Give Corcoran More of a Sinking Feeling. Ghana Business News - The first place for your business news. And thats the biggest issue. In addition to inshell and raw natural almonds, a state of the art processing facility provides manufacturing and roasting to your specifications. Water is a key variable smaller farmers have little to no control over. And thats the deeper current here. In fact, Vidovich frequently moves water by pipeline, Pace said, pointing to a massive line Vidovich installed that appears to take Angiola groundwater through his Dudley Ridge lands. Will Political Reality Shape a Mighty Morro Bay Wind? Philipp began his career at Goldman Sachs, where he advised public and private companies in European real estate, lodging and gaming sectors on strategic and financial matters. Its unclear, though, if thats the litigation Wyrick is referring to as he did not return numerous phone calls and emails from SJV Water seeking comment. Other water districts contended it was much more. We pioneer innovative approaches to solve many of the headwinds facing modern agriculture and always put environmental, social and governance considerations at the heart of our investments and operations. From that perspective, it becomes massively economically inefficient, said Zetland. In one battle, the Kings River Water Association, where Boswell is a major rights holder, is suing Tulare Lake Reclamation District 761 and Sandridge Partners, run by Vidovich, for shipping its Kings River water to lands it owns in western Kings County. It might be legal, but its not moral, Karen said of water leaving Kings. })(); Ghana Business News Copyright 2022, All Rights Reserved, Inside the News by Mpakoo All pieces appearing in this column are satire. Muriel joined in 2022 and provides executive assistant support to the partners. Boswell and Vidovich are also on opposite sides of whether Kings River flood water is being fully utilized by its rights holders. He does enough farming in the area to make it look like hes a farmer. Thats partly due to drought but also greater use. Sports, Crime Philipp holds a BA in Economics from Dartmouth College and an MBA from Harvard Business School.. Weve all seen it, said walnut farmer Steve Walker. A trial date has been set for December 2022. In 2016, the levees had to be built up another four feet. Though Vidovich didnt feel state water movement would substantially impact Kings County farming, he still predicted farming will shrink there. It is also tasked with reviewing groundwater plans under the states Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), passed in 2014. Legendary Valley Thoroughbred Elected to Racing Hall of Fame, Collision Ends Smyly Perfect Game Bid, Cubs Top Dodgers 13-0, Analysis Sandridge filed a restraining order to have the excavators, bulldozers and trucks removed, but Kings County Superior Court Latest Vidovich isnt the only pumper in that area, his supporters note. s.parentNode.insertBefore(gcse, s); All rights reserved. The sprawling Semitropic Water Storage District in Kern County wants Kings River flood water that it says current rights holders are letting flow to the ocean in heavy precipitation years. From our farming company, growing partners, and all of our employees we pay attention to every detail of our almonds, from the orchards to the finished product. Now, Pace said, Vidovich will do the same thing on a larger scale by moving Kings and Tulare groundwater to Kern County. In a letter to the state last summer, Boswells vice president attorney Jeof Wyrick who chairs the El Rico Groundwater Sustainability Agency, accused Vidovich of moving groundwater out of the area via pipeline where it cannot be tracked. Im a small guy over here and the big-time guys, well I thought they were big at 10,000 acres, even theyre selling out.. Weather. Less surface water forces growers to pay for deeper wells or additional water supplies particularly expensive during one of the worst droughts in recent state history. Ag Giants Boswell, Vidovich Sling Mud at Each Other, Tulare Man Convicted on 20 Counts of Molesting Two Girls and a Boy, Big Raises for SCCCD Part-Time Faculty 'A Really Good First Step, But Just The First Step', Bud Light Sales Fall 26% as Transgender Backlash Worsens, Speaker Kevin McCarthy Blasts Russia Over 'Killing of the Children' in Ukraine, Its Farmers vs. Its principals and employees are rarely quoted in the media. But in the ongoing legal fracas, a declaration by Sandridge Farm Manager Craig Andrew sketches out the picture. The Fresno Bee reported the verdict against McCarthy Family Farms and San Francisco Bay Area developer John Vidovich and Sandridge Partners. Your email address will not be published. Latest Hugues holds a BEng in Applied Maths from the Universite Catholique de Louvain, an MSc in Financial Economics from the University of London, a PhD in Operations Research from the Centre for Operations Research and Econometrics (UCL) / Columbia University and attended INSEADs General Management Program. There, a company he controls, Sandridge Partners, grows . For all its influence and power, Boswell is notoriously tight-lipped. It would involve a public permitting process and be very difficult, not to mention expensive, both men said. He has let large swaths of his 100,000+ acres in Kings County go fallow in order to move groundwater to more productive land, typically fields he owns in the Dudley Ridge Water District, in western Kings County. U.S. Mortgage Fees Increase Today. Vidovich is the owner of Sandridge Partners, LP - a farmland investment firm that has undertaken more than 100,000 acres of Valley farmland. Farming runs deep in the blood of growers like Jeff and Karen Gilcrease. Both letters, andone submitted by the Angiola Water District, also controlled by Vidovich, stop short of asking DWR to find the plan inadequate. Semitropic Water Storage District in Kern County has applied for the flood water which it plans to store on land owned by Vidovich near Kettleman City, between the Blakeley Canal and California Aqueduct. The GSAs are supposed to set pumping limits to stop overdraft. The plaintiffs, Kings County Ventures and Green Renewable Organic and Water Holdings, sued after the deal fell through in 2009 for their Quay Valley project. You know so I could say, Well, I didnt pass because I was so busy with this project.. SANDRIDGE PARTNERS, L.P. Company Number 201005600010 Status Active Incorporation Date 4 February 2010 (about 13 years ago) Company Type Limited Partnership - CA Jurisdiction California (US) Registered Address 920 WEST FREMONT AVE SUNNYVALE CA 94087 United States Directors / Officers JOHN VIDOVICH, LLC, general partner Inactive Directors / Officers Vidovich would also get a cut of the floodwater and be allowed to use the facilities to move some groundwater, per the project contract. Avila says corporations are gobbling up the land to plant more permanent crops and draining the countys water in the process. Now Eric Bischoff to Tell Story in Fresno. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for credit broking and consumer hire activity (FRN 724309). Michael was a business development director for one of Sunridge Partners' portfolio companies. Proposition 1 is a $7 billion bond passed in 2014 that would pay for a host of projects from flood control to water quality. Philipp was an investment professional at King Street Capital, a large hedge fund, where he led investments in real asset sectors throughout Europe. He was in military intelligence and had a top secret clearance that involved gathering data and evaluating products they made, he said. Philipp Saumweber is an experienced principal investor and operator in the agriculture sector, which he has worked in for over a decade and has deployed capital across the agricultural value chain in Europe, North America and Australasia. The judge made a partial ruling in June that long standing river agreements do allow river owners to move water within the service area. . About 25,000 acre feet of groundwater. The entire San Joaquin Valley, including Kings County, is critically over drafted. Our farming company, Sandridge Partners, farms thousands of acres of almonds each year in the central region of California providing an ever-increasing supply of almonds. What we do not agree with is the assessment that the (plan) is managing subsidence effectively. That information also isnt contained in groundwater plans for the El Rico Groundwater Sustainability Agency, which covers Boswell lands almost exclusively. Vidovich owns the property in question, and he is well known in Valley circles. Though the project is billed as flood control, the agreement also allows Vidovich to move groundwater. But the letter continued to intrigue Chrissakis. The Tulare Lake Subbasin groundwater plan references the subsidence and recognizes its a problem, Southwest Kings GSAs letter states. Sunridge Partners (UK), LLP acts as the investment advisor for the Sunridge funds that invest in agribusinesses globally. Numbers havent been set in stone just yet, but its looking like the Kings/Tulare farming areas will settle somewhere near allowing 1.5 acre feet of water to be pumped per acre. It was kind of a crutch in case I flunked, he said. Its not true, he wants to farm.. California produces 99% of all domestic walnuts. That could trigger intervention by the State Water Resources Control Board, SGMAs enforcement arm. And I want to keep farming.. Previously, Hugues was a principal investment professional at GDF SUEZ, leading transaction in LNG, infrastructure and power projects globally. Kings Officials Unhappy About Water Proposal, Local Water Guys Eyeing Kings River Flood Water. Im at a loss to understand why Angiola would execute a hold harmless agreement, putting its funds at risk and opening the district to liability, but then says the pipeline isnt on our property so its not our project, Chrissakis said during Fridays hearing. In the meantime, Boswell and Vidovich have brought their concerns to Californias DWR, which oversees transfers involving state water. So, its going somewhere, Walker said. Once a river is at flood stage, that usually means all other rights have been filled and the overflow is free game. My business approach right now is to acquire as much water as I can to be diversified in water. And Kings County doesnt have an ordinance against moving groundwater outside its borders. And, in a rare break with tradition, theyre doing it in public. Our stewardship and value creation track-record is unparalleled and our investing, operations and business . The case is being heard in Kern County where now retired Judge David Lampe made a partial ruling last June that river owners are allowed to move their water. Through Sandridge, Vidovich owns about 130,000 acres with 38,500 acres in Kern, 82,000 acres in Kings, 9,500 acres in Tulare and 300 acres in Fresno county, per ParcelQuest.

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