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Westlands Water District filed the action of Westlands Water District v. All Persons Interested In The Contract Between The United States And Westlands Water District Providing For Project Water Service from Delta Division and Facilities Repayment, Case No. 20CECG03336, in Fresno County Superior Court, on November 13, 2020.  Through this action, Westlands seeks a judicial decree confirming that the proceedings on the part of Westlands for the authorization of the execution of a Contract Between the United States and Westlands Water District Providing for Project Water Service from Delta Division and Facilities Repayment (“Repayment Contract”), as provided by Resolution No. 124-20, was valid.  Through the links provided below, the Repayment Contract, Resolution No. 124-20, the Summons, Complaint for Validation Judgment, and Proposed Judgment may be accessed.

• Oro Loma Assignment Repayment Contract and Exhibits

Additional material relevant to the Repayment Contracts and the action brought by Westlands are available through the links provided below:

• Resolution No. 124-20 Oro Loma Assignment

• Summons for Case No. 20CECG03336
• Complaint for Validation Judgment
• Proposed Validation Judgment

Crop Acreage Report

Exemption from the Ownership and Full-Cost Pricing Provisions of Federal Reclamation Law

This notice to landowners is regarding the application of Section 213 of the Reclamation Reform Act to lands in Westlands Water District.

Pursuant to section 4011 of the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (130 Stat. 1878), Westlands Water District, Westlands Water District Distribution District No. 1, and Westlands Water District Distribution District No. 2 (collectively “Districts”) entered into contracts with the United States to convert the Districts’ water service contracts executed under section (e) of the Act of August 4, 1939 (53 Stat. 1196), to repayment contracts under section 9(d) of that Act (53 Stat. 1195).  Pursuant to these repayment contracts, the Districts have paid to the United States the amounts specified in the repayment contracts required to discharge their obligations for repayment of the construction costs for the Central Valley Project.  Section 4011(c)(1) of the WIIN Act provides:

Upon a contractor’s compliance with and discharge of the obligation of repayment of the construction costs pursuant to a contract entered into pursuant to subsection (a)(2)(A), subsections (a) and (b) of section 213 of the Reclamation Reform Act of 1982 (96 Stat. 1269) shall apply to affected lands.

In turn, section 213 of the Reclamation Reform Act of 1982, provides the ownership and full cost pricing limitations of Federal reclamation law shall not apply to lands in a district after the discharge of that district’s obligation for the repayment of the construction costs of the project facilities used to make project water available for delivery to such lands has been discharged. 

As a result of the application of section 4011(c)(1) of the WIIN Act and section 213 of the Reclamation Reform Act to lands within the Districts’ service areas, the ownership and full cost pricing limitations of Federal reclamation law do not apply to those lands.  In addition, it will no longer be necessary to annually file with the Districts RRA reporting forms.

On December 9, 2020, Westlands received from the Bureau of Reclamation a letter confirming that lands within the District’s service area are no longer subject to the ownership and full cost pricing limitations of Federal reclamation law.  A copy of the letter can be viewed on the District’s website.  

If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact the Westlands Water District’s general counsel, Jon Rubin, at jrubin@wwd.ca.gov.

Westlands Water District Distribution District No. 1 (DD1) filed the action of Westlands Water District Distribution District No. 1 v. All Persons Interested In The Matter Of The Contracts Between The United States And Westlands Water District Distribution District No. 1 Providing For Project Water Service And Facilities Repayment, Case No. 20CECG01011, in Fresno County Superior Court, on March 18, 2020.  Through this action, DD1 seeks a judicial decree confirming that the proceedings on the part of DD1 for the authorization of the execution of four separate Contracts Between the United States and DD1 Providing for Project Water Service and Facilities Repayment (“Repayment Contracts”), as provided by Resolution No’s. 101-20, 102-20, 103-20, and 104-20, were valid.  Through the links provided below, the Repayment Contracts, Resolution No’s. 101-20, 102-20, 103-20, and 104-20, the Summons, Complaint for Validation Judgment, Proposed Judgment may be accessed.

• Broadview Assignment Repayment Contract and Exhibits
• Centinella Assignment Repayment Contract and Exhibits
• Mercy Springs 2-way Partial Assignment Repayment Contract and Exhibits
• Widren Assignment Repayment Contract and Exhibits

Additional material relevant to the Repayment Contracts and the action brought by DD1 are available through the links provided below:

• Resolution No. 101-20 Mercy Springs 2-way Partial Assignment
• Resolution No. 102-20 Centinella Assignment
• Resolution No. 103-20 Widren Assignment
• Resolution No. 104-20 Broadview Assignment

• Summons for Case No. 20CECG01011
• Complaint for Validation Judgment
• Proposed Validation Judgment

Westlands Water District Distribution District No. 2 (DD2) filed the action of Westlands Water District Distribution District No. 2 v. All Persons Interested In The Matter Of The Contract Between The United States And Westlands Water District Distribution District No. 2 Providing For Project Water Service And Facilities Repayment, Case No. 20CECG01012, in Fresno County Superior Court, on March 18, 2020.  Through this action, DD2 seeks a judicial decree confirming that the proceeding on the part of DD2 for the authorization of the execution of a Contract Between the United States and DD2 Providing for Project Water Service and Facilities Repayment (“Repayment Contract”), as provided by Resolution No. 101-20, was valid.  Through the links provided below, the Repayment Contract, Resolution No. 101-20, the Summons, Complaint for Validation Judgment, Proposed Judgment may be accessed.

• Mercy Springs Partial Assignment Repayment Contract and Exhibits

Additional material relevant to the Repayment Contract and the action brought by DD2 are available through the links provided below:

• Resolution No. 101-20 Mercy Springs Partial Assignment
• Summons for Case No. 20CECG01012
• Complaint for Validation Judgment
• Proposed Validation Judgment