Chinatown (the Movie) Revisted: Inyo County Seeks to Take Back Water Rights Through Eminent Domain

Posted & filed under California Eminent Domain Law Blog, Eminent Domain Law, In the News.

About a century ago, agents from Los Angeles — disguised as ranchers and farmers — quietly began purchasing land in Owens Valley that held water rights. Soon, residents of Inyo County found most of their water rights now belonged to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (“DWP”).  DWP imports the water to Los… Read more »