Food for Thought

August 18 marked the 59^th anniversary of the groundbreaking ceremony for San Luis Dam, during which then-President John F. Kennedy stressed the importance of California’s water and water infrastructure. He said:

“Progress represents the combined will of the American people, and only when they are joined together for action, instead of standing still and thinking that everything that had to be done has been done. It’s only when they join together in a forward movement that this country moves ahead and that we prepare the way for those who come after us…”

Last week, Westlands Water District General Manager Tom Birmingham joined State Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger) and others to celebrate the anniversary of the groundbreaking and express support for the continued investment in our state’s water infrastructure – just as President Kennedy did nearly six decades ago. The coalition at the Reservoir spoke in favor of Senate Bill 559, The State and Water Resiliency Act of 2021, which would provide $785 million to help repair vital water delivery systems that not only bring water to farms in the Central Valley and to disadvantaged communities but also supports the state’s environment and economy.

The devastation caused by the ongoing drought is a stark reminder that President Kennedy’s vision is just as important now as it was in 1962. Farmers in Westlands help feed the nation – meaning that, without the ability to capture and store water during times of surplus and deliver through a system of well-maintained canals, not only does the San Joaquin Valley suffer, but so does the rest of the State and the country.

Fifty-nine years ago, the San Luis Reservoir jumpstarted the growth of California’s economy. With the growing demand for Central Valley-grown food comes a responsibility to invest in the vital infrastructure that brings water to our farms, communities, and to the environment. That’s the reason Westlands is proud to be among the broad coalition supporting Senate Bill 559.

The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum has posted photos from the groundbreaking in 1962, as well as President Kennedy’s notes and remarks from the visit. For more information about Senate Bill 559, please click here.

Every person who lives or works in Westlands Water District’s service area knows that California is facing yet another year of drought. We not only read and hear about it in the news, but we see it every single day in the fallowed fields around us. We feel it when we walk through the communities, like Mendota, Huron and Avenal. Drought conditions are affecting life in a very tangible way, especially here in the San Joaquin Valley.

There’s no doubt that the lack of water is having a negative impact on families and communities across the region. Westlands is working hard to collaborate with local, state, and federal partners to reduce the negative impacts of the drought. Here are five things – among many others – Westlands is doing to try to improve the short-term water supplies and advance long-term water reliability policies:

1. Easing water purchases and transfers
   Current drought conditions mean there just isn’t enough water to meet every demand. Not only have all south-of-Delta agricultural repayment and water service contractors had their Central Valley Project allocation reduced to 0 percent, but even municipal and industrial water users have been reduced to 25 percent of historic use. Water levels at lakes and reservoirs around the state are at historic lows.
   
   At times like these, water purchases and transfers are critically important to support the communities and farms in the San Joaquin Valley. During drought, its essential to ensure that farmers receive sufficient water to meet their essential activities in order to sustain the community and the food people need. Westlands is working hard to purchase water, and to ensure that the water is available to the farmers in the District when they need it. That means working collaboratively with local, state, and federal partners, including regulators, to make it as easy as possible to move water as soon as possible.
   
   
2. Groundwater stewardship
   The farmers in Westlands have a long legacy of being good stewards of local groundwater resources – in fact, Westlands was formed, in part, because of concern with the groundwater aquifer underlying Westlands, with a focus on monitoring groundwater conditions. Farmers in Westlands have long known that groundwater management was critically important to the long-term viability of the region. The farmers’ and Westlands’ commitment to being thoughtful about groundwater use continues – not only because we’re now required to under the provisions of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) but also because it’s the right thing to do to protect local aquifers.
   
   
3. Supporting major infrastructure investments
   The water infrastructure system that brings water to Westlands has suffered from decades of inadequate funding. There has been inadequate investment in new storage to keep up with increased social demands and climate change patterns. The inadequate storage facilities are unable to store sufficient water in the wet periods to sustain the San Joaquin communities in the dry years. There has also been inadequate investment in our conveyance system, which, as a result, has lost carrying capacity. This lost capacity means it costs more energy and money to move less water today than it did just years ago.
   
   In pursuit of improved water infrastructure, the District is proud to support companion state and federal legislation designed to provide hundreds of millions of dollars in much-needed funding to help make necessary upgrades to our state’s major water infrastructure. We also have continually advocated for projects that can help increase above and below ground storage, such as the District’s Pasajero Recharge Project, to help improve water reliability during dry years.
   
   
4. Implementing Voluntary Agreements
   The Voluntary Agreements (VAs) – an effort started by then-Governor Jerry Brown and maintained by Governor Gavin Newsom – is aimed at protecting and restoring the Bay-Delta ecosystem while improving reliability for the 35 million people, nearly 8 million acres of farmland, and hundreds of thousands of acres of California wetlands that depend on the Sacramento-San Joaquin watershed.
   
   Westlands is among a broad coalition that  supports adoption and implementation of the VAs, which represent a 15 year science-based strategy that provides the resources needed to address the multiple factors that impair the ability of the Sacramento-San Joaquin watershed to serve the many needs California places on it.
   
   
5. Farming the sun
   Westlands and farmers within Westlands recognize the value of solar energy development, which not only helps California reach its carbon-free energy goals and mitigate impacts of climate change, but it also gives “new” value to agriculture land. There’s already more than 700 MW of operational solar energy in the Westlands footprint – enough electricity to power approximately 130,000 homes. Westlands and the farmers within Westlands are often considering or pursing new solar projects.
   
   The reality of our changing climate means that droughts may become even more frequent. Westlands is continually working to proactively to ensure the investments are made to reduce climate and drought impacts – not only this year but for many years to come. 

Last October, Westlands Water District completed construction of the Lower Yolo Restoration Project (Project), which restored and enhanced approximately 2,100 acres of former cattle pastureland in the Lower Yolo Bypass into tidal marsh, riparian, and upland buffer habitat that will provide new sources of food and shelter for native fish, including Delta smelt and salmonids.

Completed in partnership with the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), the Project furthers the California EcoRestore goal of advancing 30,000 acres of critical habitat restoration and enhancement in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The Project also underscores Westlands’ dedication to cooperative efforts that restore biological functions needed to improve the viability native fish.

DWR recently released a video highlighting the Project and the ways in which it will benefit a wide range of species, including Delta smelt, Chinook salmon, Swainson’s Hawk and Giant Garter Snake. Here are some highlights from the video:

“When we take a piece of property like Lower Yolo Ranch and flood it with water, it’s just deep enough to make the right kind of food that will support Delta smelt.” – Dan Riordan, DWR Program Manager

“The State Water Project and Central Valley Project are large water delivery systems that benefit millions of Californians in the state. But, additionally, we want to be good stewards of the environment in the work we do. And, so as we’re delivering water from the Delta, it’s very important that we also protect the species that live in the Delta … This effort is really looking holistically at how do we do water delivery in a sustainable way – in a way that helps the environment and protects the environment and helps the environment recover.” – Ted Craddock, DWR Deputy Director of the State Water Project.

“This is one of a series of projects that’s being conducted in this region, all of which are going to be connected and all of which will contribute to the recovery of these species.” – Tom Birmingham, Westlands General Manager

Read DWR’s blog and watch the video.

In the 2019 calendar year, power utilized in Westlands Water District (District) was 100% carbon-free power, in accordance with the standards created by the California Energy Commission.

The Power and Water Resources Pooling Authority (PWRPA) and the District

The District utilized hydroelectric and solar power, purchased from the Power and Water Resources Pooling Authority (PWRPA), to achieve 100% carbon-fee power. PWRPA is a joint powers authority governed by representatives from irrigation and water districts that spans a significant portion of the Sacramento-San Joaquin valleys and coastal counties of California. PWRPA’s portfolio generally includes hydroelectric power from the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) and utility scale solar power.

The District’s participation in PWRPA provides a low-cost energy alternative to deliver water on farms for growers, promotes conjunctive use of groundwater and surface water supply, and enhances water management. In the 2019 calendar year, PWRPA delivered carbon-free power to facilities enrolled in the District’s Groundwater Management Program (groundwater wells), Irrigation System Management Program (filtration and drip/micro spray systems), and by pumping plants that divert water from canals.

Carbon-Free Power

The District’s achievement aligns with the state of California’s goal of reaching 100% renewable and zero-carbon electricity by 2045. Using carbon-free power reduces the dependence on, and need for, fossil fuel-based energy sources.

Generally, the most widely available sources of carbon-free energy are hydroelectric plants, wind farms, and solar farms. These types of carbon-free power are replenished when used and, when sufficient water, wind, and sun are present, provide non-depleting sources of energy.

Celebrating A Carbon-Free 2019

The District is proud to have utilized sustainable and 100% carbon-free power in 2019. Westlands works alongside its growers to constantly improve upon the effective and responsible ways fresh and nutritious food and fiber products are produced within the District.

What is happening in the District 

Winter in California agriculture can commonly evoke images of beige balding trees, desolate fields and long solitary country roads. However, a much more colorful and vibrant picture exists thanks to the Central San Joaquin Valley’s Mediterranean climate, rich soil and availability of surface water – citrus harvest happens in the dead of winter all across the Valley. Bright tangerines, yellow lemons, plump oranges, and blush grapefruit lay hidden within the thick greenery of citrus trees, ripe for harvest. 

There’s always something colorful happening in the District, it is out there just waiting to be discovered. 

By The Numbers – Citrus:

The Central San Joaquin Valley is truly unique as its one of only five[1] Mediterranean climates globally. The combination of climate, soil and water make this region a year-round producer of your favorite fruits, vegetables, fiber and legumes. Stay tuned for the magic of blossom season, you won’t want to miss thousands of acres in bloom! 

What else is happening in the District?

In Westlands, a network of underground, fully enclosed pipelines serve water users. District staff work closely with growers in order to ensure every drop of water running through over 1,000 miles of that underground network is preserved, delivered, and efficiently used. 

District staff is constantly working to improve its delivery system. One of the projects Westlands is undertaking this year is the replacement of approximately 1.5 miles of piping, named lateral* 27R, located in the southern part of the District.  This replacement project will improve the ability of the District to provide its users with a reliable water supply.

The 27R project is scheduled for completion this month, until then, you may see plenty of neon vested individuals working diligently in an effort to continue carrying out the District’s mission of providing timely and reliable water services to landowners and water users in western Fresno and Kings counties.

Interested in learning more about the District?

In every season of the year, growers in Westlands are busy planning, planting, irrigating, harvesting, and transporting in order to provide nutritious, delicious and sustainable fruits, veggies and fibers we use and enjoy daily. 

If you are interested in experiencing the District and the agriculture in this region of the world, contact the Public Affairs department for a tour. We will show you why and how this area of the world has become industry leaders in technological innovation, water conservation and production. 

Public Affairs Contact information:
Email: pubaffairs@wwd.ca.gov 

[1] International Union for Conservation of Nature