2023 OPV Groundwater Adjudication and Mailed Notice Letter/Summons

The OPV Adjudication is a court action brought by a group of agricultural landowners (the self-named “OPV Coalition”) asking the court to quantify and determine all rights to pump or store groundwater in the Oxnard and Pleasant Valley Groundwater Basins.
This group was instructed by the court to contact all persons who might have a legal interest in the Oxnard/Pleasant Valley Groundwater Basins and to notify them of the existence of the lawsuit, so that any party wishing to assert the right to pump or store groundwater in the Basins may participate in the lawsuit. Notification from the group should come in the form of a summons and first amended complaint.
Receiving notice does not necessarily mean that you have any legal right to pump and/or store groundwater. In fact, it is likely that some people receiving notice from the OPV Coalition have no legal right to pump and/or store groundwater, and therefore can ignore what they receive and do not need to participate in the adjudication. If, however, you believe you have a right to pump and/or store groundwater related to the Oxnard and/or Pleasant Valley Basins, then you should contact an attorney to protect your interest.
The current deadline set by the court for filing an answer in response to the first amended complaint is AUGUST 30, 2023. The court will not enter a default concerning anyone’s water and/or storage right prior to that deadline.
While United Water Conservation District’s Directors and staff cannot provide members of the public with legal advice, it will continue to keep the public updated with current and accurate information concerning the OPV Adjudication on this website.

United Water Conservation District is a proven leader in managing and protecting the region’s water supply. We believe innovative thinking and collaboration offer solutions to ensuring a sustainable water future. At United, we work with partners at the local, state and federal levels to maintain, grow and preserve our area’s water system, while also protecting the environment. Located in California’s central Ventura County, the District encompasses the Santa Clara River Valley and Oxnard Coastal Plain.