California Ag Network

Tag: Westlands Water District

  • Statement on Bureau of Reclamation’s Initial Water Supply Allocation

    FRESNO, CA – Yesterday, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) announced a 35% initial water allocation for south-of-Delta Central Valley Project (CVP) agricultural water service contractors.
    Westlands appreciates that this initial allocation is higher than it otherwise would have been but for the diligent work by Reclamation staff to make the initial allocation as high as practicable. However, given the current hydrologic conditions, including above average precipitation and snowpack in the northern and central Sierra Nevada Mountains, a 35% allocation is further evidence that the 2009 biological opinion controlling temperature management of Shasta Reservoir is placing unreasonable restrictions on CVP operations. Moreover, the 35% initial allocation demonstrates the need to update the existing biological opinions to reflect the science that has emerged over the last decade.
    This year total runoff into the Shasta, Trinity, and Folsom reservoirs during the months of April-July is projected to be 1.0 million-acre-feet (MAF), more than was projected at this time in 2012 when the District received a final allocation of 40%. Similarly, the same comparison shows the San Joaquin basin is expected to have 1.1 MAF more runoff into the New Melones, Don Pedro, and McClure reservoirs, and storage at the San Luis Reservoir is on track to be 140-thousand-acre feet more than at this time in 2012.
    For Westlands farmers, low initial allocations create uncertainty about how much of their land can be farmed and how much productive farmland will need to be fallowed and contribute to over pumping groundwater. Westlands looks forward to working with Reclamation and other federal and state agencies to reexamine regulatory restrictions that are imposing unreasonable restriction on operations of the CVP. Westland logo

  • Westlands Water District Selects New General Counsel

    On May 15, 2018, the Westlands Water District Board of Directors appointed Jon D. Rubin to the position of General Counsel, effective June 1, 2018.
    Mr. Rubin brings to the District a wealth of knowledge, experience, and expertise to help handle the many issues and pressures the famers and people of Westlands face every day.
    As General Counsel, Mr. Rubin will work under the direction of the Board of Directors, in coordination with the General Manager, to manage the District’s legal affairs. In addition, Mr. Rubin will provide legal guidance to the Board of Directors and the District’s senior management staff.
    Mr. Rubin has represented Westlands and other Central Valley Project agricultural water service contractors during his entire 20-year legal career. Immediately prior to accepting the position of Westlands General Counsel, Mr. Rubin was employed as General Counsel by the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority (SLDMWA). The SLDMWA is comprised of 28 water agencies, including Westlands, that deliver water to more than 2 million acres of land within the western San Joaquin Valley, San Benito, and Santa Clara counties.
    “Jon Rubin has proven over the years to be a tireless advocate for agencies that serve water to farmers, urban populations, and wildlife refuges,” said Westlands President Don Peracchi. “His legal experience and dedication to the diverse water interests of south-of-Delta CVP contractors make him a tremendous asset for the farmers in Westlands. We are fortunate to have him.”
    Mr. Rubin has been married for 14 years to his wife, Elaine. They have two children, Zachary, who is 11, and Jaymeson, who is 9. When not working, Mr. Rubin enjoys spending time with his family and the outdoors.

  • Westlands Water District – 2017: A Productive Year

    Fresno, Calif., (January 5, 2018) – As the year draws to an end, we take this opportunity to reflect on the many contributions of Westlands’ growers and the unique challenges faced in a year of an abundant water supply. Our goal was to seek opportunities to reinforce needed improvements to the current operation of the Central Valley Project by countering inaccurate information by using facts.

    In December 2016, Congress successfully passed the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act. Throughout early 2017, opponents of the legislation, as they usually do, attempted to mislead the public about the e ects the WIIN Act would have on water supply and the environment. But Westlands and other groups successfully countered those falsehoods as the bill made its way through the legislative process and on to the President’s desk for signature. The enactment of the WIIN Act marked the rst time in years that the trend of punitive and restrictive water laws was reversed. But, there is more work to do.

    In early spring, after the initial CVP water allocation announcement was
    made over a month late, we used that opportunity to demonstrate the need for further reform of the water supply system. Information included the negative rami cations of a late water allocation, which limits farmers’ ability to make planting, labor, and other operational decisions. Our e orts reminded policymakers of the state’s commitment of “coequal goals” for water supply reliability and Delta protection. While the initial 65 percent allocation was thankfully increased a month later to 100 percent, it was too late in the planting season to allow farmers to utilize their first full allocation in eleven years. We are hopeful the Bureau of Reclamation’s 2018 announcement is timely.

    As we moved into summer, we released The Implications of Agricultural Water for the Central Valley, detailing the significant contributions made by agriculture and defined the inextricable correlation between the success of agricultural production with the economic well-being of the entire Central Valley. This report by Dr. Michael Shires provided factual data and context that supported our claim that there is no viable industry available to replace economic activity from agriculture, another example of the need to evaluate and improve current processes when making water supply decisions.

    We reinforced the role of agriculture as an integral part of the California’s growing food and tourism culture and developed educational materials that emphasized the major contribution of Westlands’ agricultural production to the state and the nation, and the necessity of a more reliable water supply.

    Our social media audience has more than doubled since January, allowing us to reach an expanded audience as we educate the public on issues such as water supply, water availability, agricultural economics and food security. This year, Westlands Water District became the most “Followed” and “Liked” water agency in the State of California.

    As 2017 comes to a close, we are excited to cap o the year with the successful launch of the Westlands Farmers Charitable Fund in partnership with the Central Valley Community Foundation. We look forward to the success of this collaborative e ort and anticipate the Fund will serve as an e ective clearinghouse to make measurable improvements to the quality of life for families, students, and organizations right here in our community.

    While we have made progress in educating the public and policymakers about farming and water supply challenges, there is more work to be done. We will carry these e orts into 2018 as we remain committed to securing a reliable water supply for the Central Valley.

    Johnny Amaral, Deputy General Manager of External A airs Westlands Water District