In the midst of the lawsuit with LADWP begun in 1972, Inyo County voters approved a groundwater ordinance in 1980 to exert local control over LADWP water management activities. Legality of that ordinance was challenged by LADWP. Subsequent lawsuits relating to the 1980 ordinance were set aside during negotiations leading to the Water Agreement.
In 1998, The Inyo County Board of Supervisors adopted Resolution #1004 to govern sales and transfers of groundwater to another groundwater basin or outside of the County, including sales and transfers to Los Angeles by another party. Los Angeles’ operations are exempt from #1004.

Click here for the Inyo County Ordinance #1004 in PDF (1 MB)