California Code, Water Code - WAT § 1005.3

During the pendency of an action to adjudicate substantially all water rights in a ground water basin situated in whole or in part within the Tehachapi-Cummings County Water District in Kern County, and until the date of judgment therein becomes final, which finality may be subject to any reserved jurisdiction of the court, the failure by any owner of water rights in and to such ground water basin to pump or extract therefrom the full quantity of water representing such water rights which he may be determined to have had as of the date of commencement of the action, shall not result in a loss of any portion of such water rights. The provisions of this section shall apply to any such failure to pump or extract in any water year, calendar year, or other year ending after the effective date of this section, whether or not said action was commenced prior to that effective date.

This special provision is necessary because there are special and peculiar circumstances applicable to the ground water basins lying wholly or partially within the Tehachapi-Cummings County Water District. There are three such ground water basins, commonly referred to as the Tehachapi Basin, the Brite Basin and the Cummings Basin. The alluvial fill in each of said basins is very shallow when contrasted to most other ground water basins in this state. It is necessary to induce those pumpers who can possibly do so to reduce their pumping from the basins if sufficient ground water reserves are to be maintained for preservation of the existing economy until supplemental water is available from the State Water Facilities. Actions to adjudicate substantially all water rights have been filed as to each of those basins.