The Owens Valley Water Grab - Open Campaign Dispatch
Background: Los Angeles Aqueduct
Since 1913 the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power(LADWP) has been extracting water from The Owens Valley. LADWP owns more land in the Owens valley of Inyo County than it does in Los Angeles.
“The City of Los Angeles owns approximately 250,000 acres in Inyo County and 60,000 acres in Mono County. Much of the Owens Valley floor is comprised of City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP) land.” Source
The sole purpose of owning the land is to claim rights to the water and divert it through the Los Angeles Aqueduct to sell the citizens of Los Angeles. The water traveling through the aqueduct can travel anywhere between 233 and 419 miles to its destination in LA.
The Problem: 1930s The Owens Valley Indian problem.
“The answer, according to a 1937 report to the water and power board, was a plan that would enable the Owens Valley Indians to be relocated upon good agricultural lands near or adjacent to the towns and main highways in order to provide them with a permanent method for success in the future.
Three reservations were created at Bishop, Lone Pine and Big Pine with land the DWP gave the federal government in exchange for 2,913 federal acres on which the Indians had been living in outlying areas.
But under the 1939 land swap, water rights were excluded, leaving the DWP with control over water rights on the new reservations and the federal government with rights on what became DWP property.
More than 60 years later the reason is unclear. The tribe’s say it was understood that the water rights would later be exchanged, but that never happened because the city could not legally relinquish its rights without the approval of municipal voters.” Source.
Currently, not all of the Paiute Tribes have their water rights to the land that they own. All the land surrounding the reservations are owned by LADWP.
The Paiute people have no representation on LA City Council nor the LADWP Board of Commissioners even though the decisions made by those entities directly impact the Reservation communities in the Owens Valley. Issues which impact the Reservation communities include unresolved tribal water rights, impacts of groundwater pumping and surface water management, land availability for Reservation growth and protection of cultural resources.
This was a record year for snowpack in The Owens Valley, which will translate into record snowmelt and runoff. This means LADWP is poised to reap huge profits from this water, while the Paiute people receive no benefits.
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Bishop Paiute Reservation Cultural Center
This is the last major educational stop for the trip at the Owens Valley Paiute-Shoshone Cultural Center. Brian Atkins (Americorp) and Harry Williams (Tribal Leader) speak about restoration efforts from a unique point of view.
Bishop Paiute Tribe
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The Bishop Paiute Tribe, formerly known as the Paiute-Shoshone Indians of the Bishop Community of the Bishop Colony is a federally recognized tribe of Mono and Timbisha Indians of the Owens Valley, in Inyo County of eastern California.As of the 2010 Census the population was 1,588.
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About the author(s): Department of the Interior. Bureau of Indian Affairs. Carson Agency. (1947 - ca. 1955)
License: Public domain
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15-16604 Bishop Paiute Tribe v. Inyo County
An appeal from the dismissal as unripe of claims regarding law enforcement on an Indian reservation.
Lone Pine Paiute-Shoshone Tribe
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The Paiute-Shoshone Indians of the Lone Pine Community of the Lone Pine Reservation is a federally recognized tribe of Mono and Timbisha Native American Indians near Lone Pine in Inyo County, California.They are related to the Owens Valley Paiute.
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Saving Payahüüpü The Owens Valley Solar Story
Saving Payahüüpü: The Owens Valley Solar Story explores the land, people, history, and future of the Owens Valley as its community members work to build broad-based grassroots support at home and in Los Angeles to protect the natural, historic, and cultural resources of their valley.
Saving Payahüüpü focuses on the ways in which a 1200 acre industrial scale solar energy development project currently being proposed by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power would cause severe and irreparable harm to Paiute cultural sites and to the integrity of the Manzanar National Historic Site located in the Owens Valley.
For more information visit:
Owens Valley Committee:
Manzanar Committee:
Lone Pine Paiute-Shoshone Reservation:
Big Pine Paiute Tribe of the Owens Valley:
Provided by:
Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples, Inc. ( and Graven Image Films, LLC (
357-US 395, Cartago
Hello everyone, RVer Frank here with Kathee and Coco and we are continuing on our road trip in Flair north to Bishop, California.
This is a drive through the Owens River Valley on the eastern side of the High Sierra mountain range. This stretch of our journey on the Old El Camino Sierra U.S. 395 starts north of Olancha.
I have been travelin’ out in these parts for a long time, exploring and learning more about the history and the pioneers of the Owens River Valley which tell the story of how it was back in the day.
So come along, as we go I will bring attention to some points of interest which lay ahead.
Oh and by the way, if you stick around, at the end of this video I have that rumored story about Manson Mysteries of Inyo County mentioned in the previous video.
RVer Frank
Travelin' Out In These Parts, Old El Camino Sierra US 395 Travel Stories of Cartago & Inyo Mysteries
Big Pine Paiute Tribals Members.. Let us uphold the late Darrell Moose Land Assignment Designation!!
Big Pine Paiute Special General Council Meeting
July 17, 2018 at 6pm - Tribal Chambers. This meeting is called before the general council to uphold Darrell Moose land assignment designation to his grandson. This is his voice, his intent, his will, his last remaining wish, let his final voice be heard.
Laws Railroad Museum And Historic Site Tour - Laws/Bishop California
This video takes us on a tour of the Laws Railroad Museum and Historic Site in Laws, California which is a few miles outside of Bishop, California.
The museum is free to enter and focuses on railroad and mining history. There are 11 acres of indoor and outdoor exhibits as well as a mock up of a mine and mill.
We visited for at least two hours with Ron Morefield, who gave us a great demonstration of a couple hit and miss engines, plus the history behind several more engines, that are there at the museum. There is also the original depot and the Slim Princess, a narrow gauge train that served the rail stop at Laws. It is a great museum that will take at least a few hours to explore.
Here are links to two related videos about the hit and miss engines.
Paiute/Shoshone Sarah Manning interview part 1
Interview with Paiute/Shoshone
Sarah Manning, columnist and editorial reporter with
#IndianCountrytodaymedianetwork
#NODAPL
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Meet the Staff: Big Pine Paiute Tribe
Big Pine Tribal News Team presents the Big Pine Paiute Tribe Staff. This gives you a chance to meet those that serve our people in the Tribal office.
THPO-Bill Helmer
Administrator- Gloriana Bailey
Housing Department- Lynette Hess-Blossom, Jose Rico
Environmental-Sally Manning, Alan Bacoch, Jacklyn Velasquez
Bishop Paiute Indian Reservation
Qachuu Aloom with Bishop Paiute Tribe's Food Sovereignty Program
Seed Travels usa amaranto para conectar conectar comunidades
Seed Travels uses Amaranth seeds to connect communities.
Gracias * Thanks- Qachuu Aloom, Bishop Paiute Tribe's Food Sovereignty Program, Rosalia Asig Cho, Julian Vasquez Chun, Guillermo Vasquez, María Magdalena Ixpatá, Maria Aurelia Xitumul, Josselin Chun, Monty Bengochia, James Napoles, Tony Brown, Shanae Vega, Jen Schlaich, Josselin Chun, Milli Macen-Moore, Meredith Hackleman, The Garden's Edge, CC Culver, Metabolic Studio, and everyone who participated.
seedtravels.org
Bishop Paiute History Slide Show
A slide show of historical pics, gathered from the LADWP. Thanks to Margaret Jaeger.
POLICY PAPER VIDEO PRESENTATION, TRIBAL YOUTH HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD BY: KALEENA STONE
POLICY PAPER VIDEO PRESENTATION
ABOUT THE THE DRUG EPIDEMIC ON THE BISHOP PAIUTE RESERVATION AND WHAT THE TRIBAL COUNCIL IS DOING TO BATTLE IT.
MY NAME IS KALEENA STONE
IM A MEMBER OF THE BISHOP PAIUTE TRIBE IN BISHOP, CALIFORNIA.
ALSO IM A INAUGURAL MEMBER OF THE TRIBAL YOUTH ADVISORY BOARD WITH THE NATIONAL INDIAN HEALTH BOARD
AND THIS IS MY PRESENTATION PROJECT.
Beer Adventures: Oggi's Pizza and Brewhouse | Barstow CA
In what is probably the shortest episode of beer adventures video, I visit what is likely my very first ever pizzeria micro brewery.
Tech Used
Camera: Apple iPhone 10
Apple Editing Software: VideoCraft App
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Bishop Paiute Indian Reservation
Native American Story of Mono Lake Paiute Indians
Story of Mono Lake Paiute Indian people called the Kutzadika'a Indians. Named after the Kutzavi or Brine Fly Larva. California Indians who also lived in Yosemite.
Traditional Use Not Abuse
(This digital story was produced in a Digital Storytelling Workshop. October 2014, Bishop Paiute Reservation, CA. Toiyabe Tribal Indian Health Project, Indian Health Service California Area.)