This notice regards:
ITEMS TO NOTE
2021-2022 CVP Contract Allocation
On February 23, 2021, the Bureau of Reclamation announced an initial 2021-2022 Central Valley Project (CVP) allocation of 5% for South-of-Delta agricultural repayment and water service contractors. On March 23, 2021, Reclamation announced it would delay access to the 5% allocation until further notice. The District will continue to monitor and timely report any changes to the CVP allocation.
Assessment Equalization Hearing
The Board of Directors will sit as a Board of Equalization and hold an equalization hearing to establish the District’s 2021 Benefit Assessment on Tuesday, May 18, 2021, at 1:00 p.m. In accordance with Governor’s Executive Order N-29-20, issued pursuant to the Governor’s State of Emergency proclamation, and in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, this equalization hearing will occur exclusively
through Zoom.
Join the meeting from a computer, tablet, or smartphone:
Meeting ID: 975 0647 1503
Passcode: 3130
Dial in information:
+1 669 900 9128
Copies of the 2021 Assessment Book are available for review at the Fresno and Five Points offices. Please contact Jessie Xiong at (559) 241-6212 to schedule a date and time to review. The Assessment Book contains the valuation of all District lands and is based on the benefit assessment valuation schedule approved by the voters in August 2017 and the Board at its September 2017 meeting.
Landowners who question their land valuations and wish to petition the Board, must submit a written application for a reduction of the land valuation on or before May 11, 2021. Landowners must include the reasons supporting the claim for reduction and an opinion of the proper valuation. For additional information, please contact Jessie Xiong at (559) 241-6212.
2021-2022 Supplemental Water Application – Response May Be Required
The District is planning to acquire Supplemental Water from multiple sources for the 2021-2022 water contract year. It is estimated that the District can acquire up to 135,000 acre-feet of Supplemental Water and the delivered price to water users will range from $1,050 to $1,250 per acre foot. The District anticipates a partial allocation of Supplemental Water to water users could occur in late spring. The majority of the Supplemental Water is currently planned to be allocated in the summer and early fall.
When the allocation of Supplemental Water occurs, the quantity allocated to a water user’s account is prorated based upon the water available at that time and the number of irrigable acres associated with accounts that have outstanding requests. When an account’s request has been fulfilled, it will no longer receive allocations, and the irrigable acres associated with the account will not be factored into subsequent allocations. Accordingly, water users with relatively high per acre requests will receive the bulk (increment above the pro-rata amount) of their request later, if water is available.
Advance payment for acquisition costs of the water is required at the time of allocation, while operation and maintenance related costs will be billed when the water is used. The District will notify water users regarding the allocation advance payment when acquisition costs are more certain. The allocation advance payment will apply toward the delivered Supplemental Water rate. If an advance payment is
delinquent for 30 days or more, the District may withdraw the water made available for allocation to a water user and reduce the water user’s outstanding request by the same amount.
If you would like to be part of the Supplemental Water program, please complete the enclosed agreement and return it to the Fresno Office by close of business on April 30, 2021, by one of the following means:
- Mail to: Westlands Water District, P.O. Box 6056, Fresno, CA 93703
- Hand deliver: District’s Fresno Office, at 3130 N. Fresno Street
- Scan and email: customeraccounting@wwd.ca.gov
- Facsimile to: (559) 241-6276
Agreements not received at the District or postmarked by the due date will not be considered timely. Late Requests will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis, after timely requests are filled. Please direct questions to your Customer Accounting Technician at (559) 241-6250.
Westlands Water District Announces Scholarship Application Period for College-Bound Seniors
Westlands Water District Westside Scholarship is receiving applications. This year, Westlands Water District Board expanded its scholarship program to include additional westside high schools and will award 10 scholarships to graduating high school seniors. Through this program, the District has been proud to recognize and reward exceptional academic achievement and leadership for 15 years.
College-bound high school seniors from the following westside high schools are eligible to apply for the District’s scholarship: Avenal, Coalinga, Firebaugh, Hanford Joint Union High Schools, Lemoore, Mendota, Riverdale, and Tranquillity. Each scholarship recipient will receive $1,000 to be used for college expenses. Applicants will be judged on their academic performance, school activities, and community leadership.
For an application and list of instructions, visit the District’s Education & Outreach webpage.
Applications and all supporting documents must be received by the District by 5:00 pm on May 21, 2021 and may be submitted by mail to Westlands Public Affairs, P.O. Box 6056, Fresno, CA 93703 or email to pubaffairs@wwd.ca.gov with the subject line “Scholarship Application 2021”.
Bollibokka Fishing Club Reservations
Reservations are being accepted for the Bollibokka Fishing Club. The Club property is very private, located along seven miles of the McCloud River immediately upstream of Shasta Lake. The McCloud River is esteemed for its beauty and is renowned as a premier stream for trout fishing in the world. In order to protect this unique fishery, all fishing is catch and release, fly only, barbless hooks.
The fishing season begins on April 24, 2021 and ends on November 15, 2021. If you are interested in reserving a week for a fishing trip to Bollibokka, please review the following information and contact the Club manager listed below. Remember that for reservation purposes, the week begins on Wednesday morning and ends at sunset on the following Monday. The Club is closed on Tuesday for cleaning unless reserved for consecutive weeks.
There are two accommodations available for rent on the property:
The Way Station is located on the upper two miles of the property. The Way Station can accommodate up to six guests, and that is also the maximum number of rods permitted on this portion of the river. The cost is $4,410 per week.
The Club House and Rock House are located on the lower five miles of the property. The two buildings can accommodate ten and four guests, respectively, and the maximum number of rods on this portion of the river is twelve. The cost is $7,350 per week.
The District is utilizing the experienced fly-fishing services of The Fly Shop in Redding, California to oversee Club management activities and coordinate all uses of the property. Additionally, the Fly Shop has associations with many fly-fishing guides familiar with the McCloud River.
For more information, please contact Chris King of The Fly Shop at:
- Phone Number: (800) 669-3474
- Fax Number: (530) 222-3572
- Email: chris@theflyshop.com
- Mail: 4140 Churn Creek Road, Redding, CA 96002
For additional information, visit the Bollibokka Fishing Club’s website. The Fly Shop will try to accommodate all reservation requests on a first-come, first-serve basis. Once your reservation is accepted, The Fly Shop will provide a Confirmation Package, which contains directions to the facilities, updated policies, information on cooking and cleaning services and additional contact information. Payment for your stay should be made directly to The Fly Shop.
Holiday Office Closures & Water Ordering Procedures
District offices will be closed on Monday, May 31, 2021, in observance of Memorial Day. The affected water ordering deadlines are as follows:
| For Water Use On | Place Water Order By |
|---|---|
| Saturday or Sunday – May 29 or 30 | Friday, May 28, 9:30 a.m. |
| Monday or Tuesday- May 31 or June 1 | Friday, May 28, noon |
The emergency telephone number for after hours and holidays is (559) 224-1523.
WATER SUPPLY
2021-2022 Water Supply Update
The CVP currently has approximately 5.9 million acre-feet of water stored in northern CVP reservoirs; this represents 71% of the 15-year average. Shasta Reservoir storage is approximately 2.3 million acre-feet; 65% of the 15-year average. Federal storage in San Luis Reservoir is 413,000 acre-feet; 60% of the 15-year average. Jones Pumping Plant has operated at about 15% capacity this month.
2020-2021 Rescheduled Water
The District rescheduled and carried over 137,234 acre-feet into the 2021-2022 contract water year. The District did not experience a loss due to limits set by the Bureau of Reclamation in its Rescheduling Guidelines for San Luis Reservoir (Guidelines), referred to a “Cap Loss” under the District’s Rescheduling Policy. According to the District’s Rescheduling Policy, the Rescheduling Period will extend to February 28, 2022. The Guidelines provide for a 1% per month storage loss factor for evaporation and system losses. This loss factor will be prorated to rescheduled water remaining in water user accounts on April 1, 2021, and each subsequent month, until the District delivers all rescheduled water. It is possible, due to water users’ use of other water types, when the loss is prorated the percentage of loss applied will be less than 1%. The District is reviewing all costs associated with this water and will be posting appropriate charges to affected water user accounts.
The District is seeking commitments from water users to voluntarily defer use of their rescheduled water until the fall. Water users who voluntarily defer use of rescheduled water will not incur the monthly storage loss. If you have questions or if you want to defer use of rescheduled water, please contact Russ Freeman at (559) 241-6241.
FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION
OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE
Groundwater Meter Installation and Well Modifications
District staff is currently installing District owned saddle mag meters on all groundwater wells within the District, in compliance with the meter installation schedule established in the Westside Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP). Given the timeline for installing meters on all wells, staff asks that water users work closely with District field staff to ensure District owned meters can be installed.
Please inform the District when operation of a well has stopped, for District staff to arrange the meter installation. Communicating this information is critical to meeting the GSP schedule. As a reminder, well discharge modifications are the responsibility of the water user. For questions related to well modifications, please contact the Alex Young at (559) 884-2523 X122 or ayoung@wwd.ca.gov.
Please report meter issues, and do not remove or replace District owned meters.
Advanced Notice of 2021-2022 Quinquennial Inspection and Repair Shutdown Schedule
The following table lists the District’s general order and initial dates planned for pumping plant system inspection and repair shutdown schedule for Fiscal year 2021-2022. If you have questions or feedback regarding these shutdowns, please contact the District’s Maintenance Scheduler, Jimmy Weedin at (559) 884-2523 ext. 108.
| Week | Division Valves to be inspected | Pumping Plant |
|---|---|---|
| September 27, 2021 | 6L | |
| October 4, 2021 | PV3-0.2 | PV3 |
| October 11, 2021 | 7L & 7-0.5 | |
| October 11, 2021 | PV8 | |
| October 25, 2021 | 27R | |
| November 1, 2021 | 12R | |
| November 15, 2021 | 13L | |
| December 6, 2021 | 13RA & 13RB | |
| December 13, 2021 | 2RA & 2RB | |
| January 10, 2022 | 15R | |
| January 24, 2022 | 36L | |
| January 31, 2022 | 22R | |
| February 7, 2022 | 24R | |
| February 14, 2022 | PV2-0.5 | PV2 |
| February 28, 2022 | 21R |
RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
Westlands Water Quality Coalition Members
Crop year 2020 Farm Evaluations and Irrigation & Nitrogen Management Plans were due March 1, 2021; both reports are required to be completed on the Coalition Website. If you have not completed these requirements, please do so as soon as possible. If you need assistance with the submittal process or have questions regarding your submittal, please contact Zac Just at (559) 241-6245 or by email at zjust@wwd.ca.gov or Antonio Bejarano at (559) 241-6242, or by email at abejarano@wwd.ca.gov.
Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) Update
The next Advisory Committee (AC) and the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) meetings are scheduled for May 25, 2021. The presentations from the last quarterly meetings are posted on the SGMA page of the website. For more information regarding the AC and TAC, please contact Antonio Solorio at (559) 241-6244 or sgma@wwd.ca.gov.
Water Ordering Procedures for Pumps Enrolled in District Power Programs
The District’s Groundwater Management Program and Temporary Diversion Program provide Western Area Power Administration energy to temporary diversion pumps, groundwater pumps, and drip system booster pumps. The District’s Terms and Conditions for Agricultural Water Service apply to water delivered under the Groundwater Management and Temporary Diversion programs. Accordingly, water users are required to place their water orders three days in advance if they are delivering water through a pump enrolled in the District’s power program. It is critical that water users comply with the ordering procedures to ensure that the District’s request for power to operate these facilities is accurate. Failure to place timely “on” or “off” orders will result in inaccurate power requests and increased power costs, which are then passed on to program participants.
Lands Available for Lease
The District has several parcels for lease in Fresno and Kings counties. For a list of available land, please contact Cork McIsaac of Agriculture Industries, Inc. at (916) 372-5595 or (800) 822-1415.
2021-2022 Agreement to Accept and Purchase Supplemental Water (PDF)