This notice regards:
Board of Director Election
An all-mail election for the Board of Director vacancy is scheduled for February 26, 2019. Declarations of Candidacy will be accepted for one vacancy position with the term of office concluding in 2022.
To qualify for the position of Director, the person shall be over the age of 18 years and be one of the following: 1) a holder of title to land in the District, 2) the legal representative of the holder of title to land in the District in accordance with California Water Code Section 34030, or 3) a representative designated by a holder of title to land in the District, if the holder has filed with the District written evidence of that designation.
Forms for declarations of candidacy for eligible candidates desiring to file for the office will be available from the District’s Secretary at 3130 N. Fresno Street, Fresno, California 93703 on or after November 5, 2018. The forms must be filed with the Secretary either in person or by certified mail no later than 5:00 PM on November 30, 2018.
In the event there are no candidates for the position, and a petition calling for an election is not filed within the time period prescribed in Section 10515 of the Elections Code, appointment to the Director position will be made as prescribed by law. For further information, call the District Secretary Bobbie Ormonde at (559) 241-6203.
2018-2019 CVP Water Supply Update
The Bureau of Reclamation’s allocation to Central Valley Project (CVP) south-of-Delta agricultural water service contractors is 50 percent for the 2018-2019 water contract year. The CVP currently has approximately 6.1 million acre-feet of water stored in northern CVP reservoirs; this represents 107 percent of the 15-year average. Shasta Reservoir storage is approximately 2.2 million acre-feet; 95 percent of the 15-year average. Federal storage in San Luis Reservoir is 426,000 acre-feet; 99 percent of the 15-year average. Jones is operating at two units. The current Total Agricultural Water Rate for 2018-2019 CVP water is $211.21 per acre-foot, delivered.
2018-2019 Rescheduled Water
As reported in Notice No. 552 dated August 3, 2018, the District anticipates a limit on the amount of water that may be carried over to the 2019 water contract, which has been revised to approximately 165,000 acre-feet. The water remaining at contract year-end in excess of the limit will be lost according to the District’s Rescheduling Policy.
Water users are reminded that according to the District’s Rescheduling Policy, loss (whether cap or rescheduling) is prorated based on volume per acre, from highest to lowest, and is applied in the following order and manner:
- Any remaining Rescheduled Water in excess of the Acreage Based Cap (0.5 acre-feet per irrigable acre).
- Water rescheduled by the District.
- Remaining Rescheduled Water.
- Delivered Rescheduled Water in excess of the Acreage Based Cap.
- Delivered Rescheduled Water within the Acreage Based Cap
Water users are given until March 10 to transfer water between accounts to reduce exposure to the Acreage Based Cap. As a reminder, if a water user loses water, the District will bill the water user all costs associated with the lost water. If you have any questions concerning this matter, please contact Russ Freeman at (559) 241-6241.
General Allocation of Other District Water
The District acquired approximately 102,700 acre-feet of north-of-Delta transfer water this year. Upon allocation of supplemental water subscribed by water users, approximately 9,700 acre-feet remains unsubscribed, as surplus. At its June meeting, the Board determined to allocate this remaining surplus water as Other Water. Per Article 2.4.A of the District Regulations pertaining to Other Water, the District will be allocating this Other Water to all eligible cropland in the District on a per acre basis, excluding District acquired land. Other Water is priced at the District’s current Total Agricultural Water Rate of $211.21 per acre-feet, delivered to non-full cost lands. The District anticipates allocating Other Water in November when a conservative estimate can be determined.
2018-2019 Supplemental Water Supply Update
The total 2018-2019 Supplemental Water request as of July 15 was 92,963 acre-feet on 256,450 acres and the District will meet the request. The Finance and Administration Committee recently set the rate at $450 per acre-foot at its meeting on October 16th. The District has fulfilled all requests, and the timing and amounts of expected allocations for the year are shown in the table below. This schedule will continue to be updated monthly to reflect supplies and/or changes to the timing of delivery.
| Allocation Month | AF Amount |
| April | 0 |
| May – Actual | 59,069 |
| June – Actual | 0 |
| July – Actual | 21,418 |
| August – Actual | 0 |
| September – Actual | 0 |
| October – Actual | 12,476 |
| Total | 92,963 |
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 delivered. The allocation advance payment will apply toward the delivered Supplemental Water rate. The water will be allocated to water user accounts as Project water or non-Project water (if available), allowing Full-Cost rates to be applied as required by Reclamation Law. Additionally, since the District has committed to purchase Supplemental Water, agreements may not be revoked or amended.
Revised 2018-2019 Land-Based Charges
The second installment of the 2018-2019 Revised Land Based Charges was due September 25, 2018. A penalty will be added to unpaid charges on the day following the payment due date. Please contact Stephen Farmer at (559) 241-6240 for additional information about Land-Based Charges.
2018 Benefit Assessment
Assessment bills for the 2018 Benefit Assessment were mailed on June 15, 2018 and are now delinquent after November 15, 2018. A five percent penalty will be added after the delinquent date, and water service will not be provided. Please contact Stephen Farmer at (559) 241-6240 for additional information about assessments.
Groundwater Sustainability Plan
The District’s next planned workshop is Wednesday, December 5, 2018 at 3:00 p.m. at the District’s Five Points Field Office, 23050 W. Mt Whitney Five Points, CA 93624. The purpose of the workshop is to present Westlands SGMA Augmentation Strategies and provide a status of the District’s SGMA efforts. This will be the District’s fifteenth workshop. All meetings are open to the public. Presentation materials are available at the District’s website. For additional information, contact Kiti Campbell at (559) 241-6226 or sgma@westlandswater.org.
Westlands Water Quality Coalition Members
The Westlands Water Quality Coalition (WWQC) will hold a workshop on Thursday, January 24th at 10:00 AM at the Fresno County Farm Bureau Office: 1274 W Hedges Ave Fresno, CA 93728. The workshop will cover information regarding General Order revisions, WWQC updates, upcoming submittals, and Nitrogen Summary feedback. For further information and to RSVP for this workshop, contact Nicole Branum at (559) 241-6235 or by email nbranum@westlandswater.org.
The Central Valley Water Board released proposed revisions to the Waste Discharge Requirements General Order R5-2014-001 For Growers Within the Western Tulare Lake Basin Area That Are Members of a Third-Party Group (General Order). A public hearing will be held on 7 and 8 February 2019 in Rancho Cordova. Members are encouraged to review revisions and provide written comments by 5:00 PM on 21 December 2018. If you have questions on the General Order revisions, please contact Debra Dunn at 559- 241-6242 or ddunn@westlandswater.org.
2019-2020 Agricultural Water Allocation Applications Due January 16, 2019
Water users will receive their 2019-2020 Agricultural Water Allocation Application packets during the first part of December. Landowners will not receive packets unless they are also water users or have requested them previously. Applications are due at either the Fresno or Five Points Offices by 5:00 p.m. on or before January 16, 2019.
Typically, the landowners’ tenant farmers will submit the allocation applications. However, landowners may apply for allocations, especially if more direct control of the allocation to their land is desired or tenants have not been selected. In these situations, landowners are reminded that the costs associated with water applied for and allocated must be paid, even if the water is not used.
If more than one application is received for the same parcel of land, priority will be given to the landowner in accordance with the District’s rules and regulations. If no applicants own the land, priority will be given to the water user who provides evidence of the right to occupy the land and receive the allocation.
The District is also requesting an estimate of the number of acres you expect to fallow in the 2019-2020 water contract year. Providing this information will not affect your request for a water supply allocation; it will only be used to educate the public on how the continued lack of water supply is impacting our water users.
Landowner Responsibilities
As a courtesy each year, the District reminds landowners of their responsibilities as property owners in Westlands. Landowners are ultimately responsible for the payment of all District assessments, land-based charges and water charges attributable to their property. Any private agreement with tenants for use of the land does not relieve landowners of their responsibility for paying these costs. Landowners must enforce leases between lessors and lessees. Landowners should be aware of the following obligations regarding their property:
Assessments: Westlands uses a “benefit valuation” method in establishing assessments. Lands are assessed annually based on the relative benefits that they receive from the District. If an assessment becomes delinquent, the following actions are taken:
- A 5% penalty is assessed.
- Agricultural water service is discontinued.
- Any remaining water allocation applicable to the water user is not available for transfer, but the cost for such water must still be paid.
- A lien is recorded against each delinquent parcel.
- A $17 or $12 recording fee is imposed against each delinquent parcel.
- A publication fee is imposed against each delinquent amount (in the past this amount has varied from $30 to $300).
- Interest charges accrue against the delinquent amount at 9% per annum.
- Neither contract water nor any other water will be allocated to any land for which assessments have been delinquent for 30 days or more at the time the water is allocated.
Land-Based Charges: Land-based charges may be imposed by the Board of Directors, after a hearing is held and absent written protest from a majority of affected landowners. The hearing is typically held in February, although additional hearings may be held if new charges are implemented or if warranted by other circumstances. Land-based charges anticipated for next year are for costs related to District water supply, extraordinary repairs of pipe and certain litigation. Land-based charges are normally due March 25 and September 25, and if they become delinquent the following actions are taken:
- A penalty ranging from 2% to 10% is assessed and interest charges of 1.5% per month are applied.
- Agricultural water service is discontinued.
- Any remaining water allocation applicable to the water user is not available for transfer, but the cost for such water must still be paid.
- If left unpaid, charges are transferred to the District’s assessment roll and become a lien against the land.
- Neither contract water nor any other water will be allocated to any land for which charges have been delinquent for 30 days or more at the time the water is allocated.
Water Charges: Landowners are financially responsible if their tenants do not pay their water bills. Water users have approximately 25 days to pay for water charges billed for the previous month. Bills not paid by the due date are considered delinquent. Landowners are notified of the delinquent account by mail. These bills may include charges for:
- CVP water, District water supply or long-term water allocated to the land, and any other water transferred into the water user’s account. Other water may come from a variety of sources with costs substantially higher than CVP water.
- Water delivered to the land.
- Reduction in future year’s water supplies for overused water, unless the water user purchases additional water to replace the overused amount.
- Unused water, if the water user does not reschedule it or does not find a buyer for the unused amount.
- Miscellaneous charges for M&I water costs, CVP Improvement Act Restoration Fund Costs, or other service charges.
If water charges become delinquent, the following actions are taken:
- A penalty ranging from 2% to 10% is assessed and interest charges of 1.5% per month are applied.
- Agricultural water service is discontinued.
- Any remaining water allocation applicable to the water user is not available for transfer, but the cost for such water must still be paid.
- If left unpaid, a Certificate to Secure Delinquent Water charges is filed against the water user on all lands owned within Westlands Water District.
- If the account remains unpaid, charges will be transferred to the District’s assessment roll in May of each year and a Certificate of Sale will be filed against the land where the water was used if delivered or allocated if unused.
- Neither contract water nor any other water will be allocated to any land for which charges have been delinquent for 30 days or more at the time the water is allocated.
The information listed above summarizes the financial obligations landowners and water users have to the District. If you have any questions regarding this information, please do not hesitate to contact the Customer Accounting Department at (559) 241-6250. We look forward to working with you in the upcoming water year.
Low Interest Irrigation Equipment Lease Program
The District’s Expanded Irrigation System Improvement Program (EISIP) offers low interest loans to water users for the lease-purchase of irrigation system equipment. The EISIP provides up to $130,000 towards the design of irrigation systems and the purchase of irrigation system equipment, including portable aluminum irrigation pipe, micro irrigation, linear move and center pivots. 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 percent cost share, up to $45,500, from the District. Interested water users should contact Nicole Branum at (559) 241-6235.
District Pumping Plant Power Outages
As part of the District’s scheduled Annual Inspection and Maintenance Shutdown at District pumping plants, staff coordinates outages with PG&E. Water users are reminded that PG&E has periodically delayed restoring power to our facilities which has resulted in an extended shutdown. This is beyond the District’s control; we will continue to communicate our concerns to PG&E and advocate for the timely restoration of electric service. We ask for your patience as the District works to address these issues.
Lease of District Owned Land
The District currently has approximately 13,000 acres of land available for lease. For a detailed list, please contact Cork McIsaac of Agriculture Industries, Inc. at (916) 372-5595 or (800) 822-1415.
Holiday Office Closures and Water Ordering Procedures
District offices will be closed on Monday, December 24, and Tuesday, December 25, 2018, for the Christmas holiday; and Tuesday, January 1, 2019, for New Year’s Day. The affected water ordering deadlines are as follows:
| For Water Use On | Place Water Order By |
| Saturday or Sunday – December 22 or 23 | Friday, December 21, 9:30 a.m. |
| Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday – December 24 or 25 and 26 | Friday, December 21, noon |
| Tuesday – January 1 | Monday, December 31, 9:30 a.m. |
| Wednesday – January 2 | Monday, December 31, noon |
The emergency telephone number for after hours and holidays is (559) 224-1523.
Upcoming Planned Inspection and Repair Shutdown Schedule
The District provides a monthly listing of upcoming planned pumping plant and system maintenance. The schedule through December 2018 is as follows:
| Dates | Lateral(s) Impacted | Scheduled Work |
| 11-5 to 12-13-18 | 12RA | Interior Tank Painting |
| 11-26 to 11-30 | 29R | Quinquennial Inspection |
| 12-3 to 12-7 | 15L | Quinquennial Inspection |
| 12-10 to 12-14 | 38L | Quinquennial Inspection |
| 12-17 to 12-21 | 20L | Quinquennial Inspection |