This notice regards:
ITEMS TO NOTE
Assessment Equalization Hearing
Jessie Xiong: (559) 241-6212
The Board of Directors will sit as a Board of Equalization and hold an equalization hearing to establish the District’s 2022 Benefit Assessment on Tuesday, May 17, 2022, at 1:00 p.m. at the District’s Fresno Office located at 3130 N. Fresno Street, Fresno, CA 93703 or via Zoom as follows:
Zoom Meeting Link:
Meeting Code: 829 8100 5295
Passcode: 3130
Dial-in information: (720) 707-2699
Copies of the 2022 Assessment Book are available for review at the Fresno and Five Points offices. 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 13, 2022. Landowners must include the reasons supporting the claim for reduction and an opinion of the proper valuation.
Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) Update
Antonio Solorio: (559) 241-6244 or sgma@wwd.ca.gov
Monday’s April 25, 2022, 9:00 a.m. special Board of Directors meeting will consider adopting certain sections of the Draft Rules and Regulations, Sections 1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.10, 1.13 through 1.16, and 1.18 through 1.21 (such as the Metering, Groundwater Recharge Projects, Variance, etc), that support the implementation of the Westside Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP).
For the 2022-23 Contract Year, the District anticipates that approximately 630,000 acre-feet of groundwater will be pumped and the subbasin could experience an average groundwater level decline of 40 feet. If the forecast proves accurate, and depending on hydrology in the fall, the Subbasin may be left with 20% of the Monitoring Sites classified as green (groundwater levels are 50% greater than the established Minimum Threshold (MT)), and 55% of the Monitoring Sites being classified as yellow (groundwater levels are greater than 15% and up to 50% of the established MT), and approximately 25% being classified in the red (groundwater levels are within 15% or less of the established MT). Based on this forecast and GSP section 4.2, the District plans to proceed with the implementation of the Groundwater Allocation Program in 2023 at 1.3 acre-feet per gross acre.
The District is working with its consultants and the Department of Water Resources to develop and revise the GSP based on DWR’s comment. The District anticipates submitting the revised GSP in June.
The next regular Advisory Committee (AC) and Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) meetings are scheduled for May 24, 2022, at 9:00 a.m.
2022-2023 Supplemental Water Application – Response May Be Required
Customer Accounting Representative: (559) 241-6250
The District is planning to acquire Supplemental Water from multiple sources for the 2022-2023 water contract year. Supplemental Water will be made available for allocation to water users when it is confirmed as available to the District south of Delta. The majority of the Supplemental Water is currently planned to be made available to water users in late summer and early fall.
When Supplemental Water is made available for allocation, the quantity made available to a water user’s account is a proration 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 that 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 Supplemental Water is made available for 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 2022-2023 Supplemental Water program, please complete the enclosed agreement and return it to the Fresno Office by close of business on April 29, 2022, by one of the following means:
Mail to: Westlands Water District, P.O. Box 6056, Fresno, CA 93703.
You may also hand-deliver the agreement to the 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-served basis after timely requests are filled.
Westlands Water District Announces Scholarship Application Period
Westlands Water District Westside Scholarship is receiving applications. 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 accredited post-secondary education expenses. Applicants will be judged on their academic performance, school activities, essay, and community leadership. The Deadline to apply is May 22nd. For an application and list of instructions, visit the District’s Education & Outreach webpage.
2022-2023 Land-Based Charges Due
Jessie Xiong: (559) 241-6212
The bills for the 2022-2023 Land-Based Charges were mailed on March 10, 2022, with the first installment due March 25, 2022, and the second installment due September 26, 2022. A penalty will be added to unpaid charges on the day following the payment due date.
Allocation of District System Gain
Customer Service Representative: (559) 241-6250
The District will allocate 986 acre-feet of 2021-2022 System Gain supply to water users that delivered water during the period that system gain was generated. These allocations will appear on your April 2022 allocation statements (mailed in early May).
GWMP Meter Installation and Well Modifications
Alex Young: (559) 884-2523 ext. 122 or ayoung@wwd.ca.gov
District staff continues installing meters on groundwater wells and as such will be reaching out to well owners regarding mechanical and pipeline discharge modifications and installation schedules.
The District would like to remind water users that meters installed on groundwater wells for compliance with the approved Groundwater Sustainability Plan are owned by the District and should not be adjusted or moved by water users or their staff. If water users are planning to abandon a well and want to move the meter to a new site, please contact District staff so it can be moved for you.
If water users desire to connect privately owned AMI or monitoring systems to a District-owned meter, then please contact Water Measurement Specialist, John Johnston at 559-884-2523 ext. 131.
Please report meter issues, and do not remove or replace District-owned meters.
Holiday Office Closures & Water Ordering Procedures
District offices will be closed on Monday, May 30, 2022, 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 28 or 29 | Friday, May 27, 9:30 a.m. |
| Monday or Tuesday- May 30 or May 31 | Friday, May 27, noon |
The emergency telephone number for after-hours and holidays is (559) 224-1523.
Bollibokka Reservations
Reservations are being accepted for the Bollibokka McCloud River property. The Bollibokka McCloud River 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 reservation season begins on April 27, 2022, and ends on November 15, 2022. If you are interested in reserving a week for a fishing trip to Bollibokka, please review the following information and contact the manager listed below. Remember that for reservation purposes, the week begins on Wednesday morning and ends at sunset on the following Monday. The property 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 $5,000 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 $8,000 per week.
The District is utilizing the experienced fly-fishing services of The Fly Shop in Redding, California to oversee property 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 Fly Shop’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.
WATER SUPPLY
2022-2023 CVP Contract Allocation
On February 23, 2022, the Bureau of Reclamation announced an initial 2022-23 Central Valley Project (CVP) allocation of 0% for South of Delta agricultural water contractors. Given the very low storage currently in CVP reservoirs, it is likely that the final allocation to South of Delta agricultural water contractors will be 0%.
2022-2023 Water Supply Update
The Central Valley Project (CVP) currently has approximately 4.3 million acre-feet of water stored in northern CVP reservoirs; this represents 59% of the 15-year average. Shasta Reservoir storage is approximately 1.71 million acre-feet; 54% of the 15-year average. Federal storage in San Luis Reservoir is 317,000 acre-feet; 49% of the 15-year average. Jones Pumping Plant has operated at about 24% capacity this month.
Rescheduled and Carryover Water
Water users will continue to have access to carryover water throughout the 2022-2023 contract water year. Reclamation’s Rescheduling Guidelines impose a 1% per month storage loss factor for evaporation and system losses on remaining rescheduled and carryover water in San Luis Reservoir. This loss factor will be prorated to rescheduled and carried over water remaining in water user accounts each month until the District delivers all remaining carry over water. Neither the types of water in an account nor participation in the Supplemental Water program are factors that affect the amount of water that a water user can carry over under the District’s Rescheduling Guidelines. 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.
FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION
Revision to Terms and Conditions for Agricultural Water Service – Advance Payments
The Board of Directors approved a revision to the Terms and Conditions for Agricultural Water Service, Section 10 language. The revision provides the General Manager the authority to offer a payment plan for advance payment required for the acquisition costs of water transferred into the District from other agencies, pump-in water, or any allocation resulting from the District being able to obtain water (excluding Central Valley Project Allocation). The language in Section 10 was revised to include the following:
“The General Manager may offer each of the water users that request the water a payment plan, provided that the plan: (1) provides for payment over no more than three months, (2) includes an interest component that is equal to the District’s rate of return available on its investment vehicles, and (3) requires all payments under the plan be made prior to the allocation of water available to the water user from the transfer(s) or other water.”
Water subject to this provision will not be available to a water user until the payment plan has been satisfied.
Water Ordering and Meter Turn Off
Customer Service Representative: (559) 241-6250
To set up a Westlands online account, please contact your Customer Service Representative.
| For Water Use On | Place Water Order By | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday-Saturday | Day before | 7:30-9:30 a.m., by telephone or fax, or 10:00 a.m. by website |
| Sunday-Monday | Friday before | 12:00 p.m. by telephone, fax or website |
Phone (559) 241-6250 or (800) 266-6574, Fax (559) 241-6276, water user account at Westlands’ Website
Water users should comply with the District’s water ordering procedures. Conveyance capacity through many laterals is constrained and District staff determines lateral demand based on water orders. When demand exceeds the capacity of the lateral, the entire lateral is adversely affected, and water service can be lost for all users on the lateral. To properly operate and maintain the District’s water distribution system, and to a larger extent the Central Valley Project, water users are required to place proper water orders in accordance with the District’s Terms and Conditions for Agricultural Water Service.
Further, water users who are found to be running without an order will have their meter(s) turned off pursuant to Article 2, Section 2.6.H of the District’s Rules and Regulations. In addition, meters found running without a valid water order may be subject to a portion of or entire lateral monitoring fee of $635.53. Accurate water orders are also critical for reference if a meter malfunctions, or varies from a
standard calibration range. Your monthly billing can be directly affected by the accuracy of your water orders.
OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE
Cross Connections and District Facility Protection
Field Engineering Staff: 559-884-2523
District facilities and adjacent water user property have suffered minor damages due to cross-connections with the District’s distribution system. We understand that flexibility is needed to connect and operate onfarm irrigation systems. Consideration needs to be given to the District’s distribution system when crossconnecting groundwater wells and other sources of water to protect District pipelines, tanks, reservoirs, and adjacent private property from damage. For assistance on proper connections, please contact District Field Engineering staff.
Planned Maintenance Shutdown Schedule 2022
Jimmy Weedin: (559) 884-2523 ext. 108
The District issues a monthly listing of the maintenance schedule for the next 45 to 60 days. Shutdown notices for scheduled work are sent to affected water users in advance of each shutdown. If water users are not receiving these notices, please contact your Customer Service Representative to update your contact information.
| Lateral(s) Impacted | Date(s) | Scheduled Work | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13L | April 25 – 28 | Pipe Repair | Entire Lateral Affected |
| 1R-4.0C & D Reaches | May 17 | Algae Treatment | 1R-4.0C Reservoir Treatment 7:00am – 5:00pm |
| Coalinga Canal | May 18 | Algae Treatment | Limit 100 CFS |
| 13R | June 1 | Algae Treatment | 13R-A Reservoir Treatment 6:00 am – 4:00 pm |
| 2R | June 2 | Algae Treatment | 2R-A and 2R-B Reservoir Treatment 6:00 am – 4:00 pm |
| 17R | June 9 | Algae Treatment | 17R-B and 17R-C Reservoir Treatment 6:00 am – 4:00 pm |
| 14RB & C Reaches | June 16 | Algae Treatment | 14RB Reservoir Treatment 6:00 am – 4:00 pm |
| Coalinga Canal | June 21 | Algae Treatment | Limit 100 CFS |
| 1R-4.0C & D Reaches | June 22 | Algae Treatment | 1R-4.0C Reservoir Treatment 6:00 am – 4:00 pm |
| 13R | June 29 | Algae Treatment | 13R-A Reservoir Treatment 6:00 am – 4:00 pm |
| 13R | June 30 | Algae Treatment | 2R-A and 2R-B Reservoir Treatment 6:00 am – 4:00 pm |
Advanced Notice of 2022-2023 Quinquennial Inspection and Repair Shutdown Schedule
Jimmy Weedin: (559) 884-2523 ext. 108
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 2022-2023.
| Week | Division Valves to be inspected | Pumping Plant |
|---|---|---|
| September 26, 2022 | 12-0.5 | 12L |
| October 3 | 21L | |
| October 10 | 30-1.3 | 30L |
| October 17 | 27-5.0 | 27L |
| October 24 | 28-2.0, 3.0, & 4.0 | 28L |
| October 31 | PV9-1.5 | PV9 |
| November 14 | 1RA, 1R-2.0B, & 1R-4.0B | |
| December 5 | 1R-4.0C & 1R-4.0D | |
| December 12 | 1R-4.0-1.0C & 1R-4.0-1.0D | |
| January 9, 2023 | 3R | |
| January 23 | 10L | |
| January 30 | 29-1.0 | 29L |
| February 6 | 34L | |
| February 13 | 19L | |
| February 27 | 1L |
RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
Land Available for Lease
Cork McIsaac of Agriculture Industries, Inc.: (916) 372-5595 or (800) 822-1415
The District has several parcels for lease in Fresno and Kings counties. For a list of available land, please contact Cork McIsaac.
Low-Interest Irrigation Equipment Lease Program
Juan Pacheco: (559) 241-6228 or jpacheco@wwd.ca.gov
In October the District amended the Expanded Irrigation System Improvement Program (EISIP) to include recharge project equipment. The District’s EISIP offers low-interest loans, of up to $130,000, to water users for the lease-purchase of irrigation system and recharge project equipment. Water users who plan to install a system on land that is served by a pump enrolled in a District power program may also be eligible for a 35% cost share, up to $45,000, from the District’s EISIP/Public Purpose Program (P3) Grant. Additional information is available on the EISIP and P3 pages on the District’s website.
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.
2022-2023 Agreement to Accept and Purchase Supplemental Water