LADWP Pumping and Uses on the Bishop Cone

Each year, Inyo County Water Department and LADWP conduct an audit of LADWP’s groundwater extraction and water uses on Los Angeles land in the Bishop area – referred to as the "Bishop Cone." The Inyo/Los Angeles Water Agreement requires that LADWP’s annual groundwater extraction not exceed the amount of water used on its Bishop Cone lands.

The Water Agreement defines water uses as the amount of water supplied to Los Angeles land on the Bishop Cone less any return flow to the Los Angeles Aqueduct. Uses include irrigation, stockwater, and recreation, as well as conveyance losses (i.e. water seepage from canals and ditches). Groundwater extraction is defined as the sum of all groundwater pumped by LADWP on the Bishop Cone plus the amount of artesian water flowing from uncapped wells.

LADWP collects the pumping and surface water information at mutually agreed upon measuring stations and provides that data to the county. The Water Department performs the audit and reports on the water uses and groundwater extractions on the Bishop Cone. Table 3 shows the results of Bishop Cone audits performed to date.

Table 3. Summary of Bishop Cone audits. (Source: ICWD)