On September 15, 2015, the U.S. Department of Justice and Westlands Water District approved a settlement ending a decades-long dispute over the Bureau of Reclamation’s responsibility to provide drainage for the farmland within Westlands. Highlights of the settlement include: the federal government will relieve the District of its existing repayment obligation, it will provide a permanent contract, acreage limitations will be removed, a minimum of 100,000 acres will need to be permanently retired, the District will assume responsibility for managing drainage within Westlands, and CVP deliveries will be capped at 75% of its contract quantity. The settlement will require Congressional approval.
Westlands Water District
Fresno, CA