Groundwater Authority reports budget, pipeline progress as residents raise concerns

Councilman Hayman reported to the Ridgecrest City Council on Oct. 15 that the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority (GA) adopted its 2026 budget and is continuing planning on a proposed pipeline, while members of the public raised questions about the GA’s spending, outreach and the status of the Groundwater Sustainability Plan.

The GA “review and adopt[ed] the 2026 budget,” Hayman said at the meeting, and he told the council that overall expenditures dropped by about $200,000 compared with the prior year. He said legal fees remain a significant line item: the GA is estimating “approximately 1.7, 1,875,000.000 in legal expenditures,” and board members hope those costs will fall going forward. Hayman also reported that Blue Mountain Management has started work with the GA’s water resources manager and the Army…