October Monthly Notice (#594)

BOARD ACTION

Fresno County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan and Westside-San Joaquin Integrated Regional Water Management Plan

At its October 15, 2019 meeting, the Board of Directors adopted the Fresno County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP) and Westside-San Joaquin Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (IRWM). The HMP provides Pre-Disaster Mitigation grants to support groundwater replenishment and drought resiliency, and eligible projects that promote groundwater recharge, and aquifer storage and recovery. The IRWM is an effort to identify and implement water management solutions on a regional scale. Projects included in the IRWM can apply for grant funding, and the District included several projects in the IRWM to increase water supply and promote groundwater recharge.

ITEMS TO NOTE

Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) Update – Groundwater Sustainability Plan Hearing October 30

On October 30, 2019 at 3:00 p.m., the Westlands Water District Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) will hold a public hearing at Westlands Water District’s Five Points Field Office, 23050 W. Mt. Whitney, Five Points, CA 93624. Staff will present a draft of the Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) and will seek input from the Board of Directors and the public at the hearing.

The Draft GSP is available at District’s Website. Members of the public can submit written comments until October 31, 2019. Written comments must be emailed directly to sgma@wwd.ca.gov and comments may be submitted using the SGMA comment sheet provided at District’s Website. In addition, attendees may provide written or oral comments at the hearing.

As a reminder, materials concerning SGMA implementation, including the effort to prepare the Draft GSP, are available on the District’s website.

Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) Workshop

On October 30, 2019, at 1:30 p.m. the District will hold a workshop at the Westlands Water District’s Five Points Field Office, 23050 W. Mt. Whitney, Five Points, CA 93624. The workshop will focus on implementation of the District’s Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) program and provide an opportunity for the District’s water users to ask technical experts questions about ASR. For more information regarding this workshop, please contact Kiti Campbell at 559-241-6226 or kcampbell@wwd.ca.gov.

2019 Benefit Assessment

Assessment payments are due now and delinquent after November 21, 2019. A five percent penalty will be added after the delinquent date and water service will not be provided. Please contact Jessie Xiong, at (559) 241-6212 for additional information about assessments.

Westlands Water Quality Coalition Members

The Westlands Water Quality Coalition (WWQC) is seeking coalition volunteers with wells screened above the Corcoran Clay, varying in depth from 200 to 800 feet below ground surface, to participate in the Groundwater Quality Trend Monitoring (GQTM) Program. The GQTM Program is required by the Western Tulare Lake Basin General Order (GO) R5-2014-0001and participation will involve minimal commitment with no cost. Water quality constituent sampling will occur once per year, in the fall. If you have an Upper Aquifer well that might be a candidate or have any questions about the GQTM Program, please contact Edith Ramirez at 559-241-6242 or eramirez@wwd.ca.gov.

2019-2020 Rescheduled Water

The District anticipates the amount of water that can be rescheduled into the 2020 water contract year will be limited to about 120,000 acre-feet. Any water in excess of that quantity will revert to Reclamation’s 2020 Central Valley Project (CVP) water.

Additionally, if San Luis Reservoir (SLR) fills on or after March 1, then any Rescheduled Water that is not used when SLR begins sustained drawdown will likely revert to Reclamation, depending on the foregone pumping calculated while SLR is full.

SLR could fill at the end of February or beginning of March 2020, in which case water users would potentially experience a similar loss of Rescheduled Water. For these reasons, water users should manage their water use between now and the end of the water contract year to reschedule an amount they can use in the March through early April time period.

In 2019, water users delivered 70,000 acre-feet from the time SLR filled on March 9, until water levels began a sustained drawdown on April 12. Reclamation declared that any unused Rescheduled Water was lost because the amount of calculated foregone pumping exceeded the amount of remaining Rescheduled Water.

If water users reschedule more than they can use in this time period and SLR fills, then any unused Rescheduled Water will likely revert to Reclamation’s 2020 CVP water. Be aware that neither the types of water in an account, nor participation in the Supplemental Water program are factors that affect the amount of water that an individual water user can carryover under the District’s Rescheduling Guidelines.

As a reminder, if a water user loses water, the District will bill the water user the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority O&M, applicable District rates, and any other costs the District incurs. If you have any questions, please contact Russ Freeman at (559) 241-6241.

WATER SUPPLY

2019-2020 Water Supply Update

On June 14, 2019, the Bureau of Reclamation increased the 2019-2020 Central Valley Project (CVP) allocation to 75% for south-of-Delta agricultural water service contractors. The District does not anticipate any additional increases to the CVP allocation for this water contract year.

The CVP currently has approximately 8.4 million acre-feet of water stored in northern CVP reservoirs; this represents 142% of the 15-year average. Shasta Reservoir storage is approximately 3.4 million acre-feet; 140% of the 15-year average. Federal storage in San Luis Reservoir is 397,000 acre-feet; 121% of the 15-year average. Jones Pumping Plant has operated at about 46% capacity through the first half of month, approximately 1,980 cubic feet per second, but is expected to operate at about 20% capacity through the end of the month. Pumping has been reduced to comply with the fall X2 standard under the Biological Opinion for protection of Delta Smelt.

FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION

Water Ordering and Meter Turn Off

It is important that water users 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 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.

The schedule for placing water orders is as follows: water orders for Tuesday through Saturday must be placed the prior day between 7:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m., by telephone or fax. Orders placed over the website are accepted until 10:00 a.m., for the following day. Water orders for Sunday
and Monday must be placed by noon the preceding Friday, either by phone, fax or website. Orders may be placed by calling (559) 241- 6250 or (800) 266-6574, by Fax (559) 241-6276, or online at District’s Website. To set up a Westlands online account, please contact your Customer Accounting Technician at (559) 241-6250.

OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE

Holiday Office Closures & Water Ordering Procedures

District offices will be closed on Monday, November 11, 2019, in observance of Veterans Day and closed on Thursday, November 28, and Friday, November 29, 2019, in observance of Thanksgiving. The affected water ordering deadlines are as follows:

For Water Use On	Place Water Order By
Saturday or Sunday	November 9 or 10 – Friday, November 8, 9:30 a.m.
Monday or Tuesday	November 11 or 12 – Friday, November 8, noon
Thursday or Friday	November 28 or 29 – Wednesday, November 27, 9:30 a.m.
Saturday, Sunday or Monday	Nov. 30 or Dec. 1 and 2 – Wednesday, November 27, noon

The emergency telephone number for after hours and holidays is (559) 224-1523.

Planned Maintenance Shutdown Schedule –2019

To keep water users apprised of upcoming planned pumping plant and system maintenance, the District issues a monthly listing of the upcoming schedule for the next 45 to 60 days. Please, see list below:

Lateral(s) Impacted	Dates	Scheduled Work	Notes
18L PLine	10-21 to 10-25	Paint 18L Headworks	P-Line limited capacity 10-23 to 10- Gravity line will remain in full service
13RB	10-21 to 10-23	Tank Paint – Install Temporary Tanks	Limited capacity between 10-23 and 11-18
17RA and 17RB	10-21 to 10-23	PLC Replacement
17RC	10-23 to 10-25	PLC Replacement
30R	10-28 to 11-1	Paint 30R Headworks	Limited capacity 10-30 to 11-1
3R	10-30 to 11-1	PLC Replacement
38L	11-4 to 11-8	Paint 38L Headworks	P-Line limited capacity 11-6 to 11-8. Gravity line will remain in full service
21R	11-4 to 11-6	Tank Paint – Install Temporary Tanks	Limited capacity between 11-6 and 12-2
11R	11-12 to 11-14	PLC Replacement
13RB	11-18 to 11-20	Tank Paint – Remove Temporary Tanks	Lateral back in full service after 11-20
20R	11-18 to 11-20	PLC Replacement
23R	11-20 to 11-22	PLC Replacement
21R	12-2 to 12-4	Tank Paint – Remove Temporary Tanks	Lateral back in full service after 12-4

Advance Notice of 2019-2020 Inspection and Repair Shutdown Schedule

The following table is provided for water users as a reminder of the District’s planned pumping plant system inspection and repair shutdown schedule for fiscal year 2019-2020. If you have questions regarding these scheduled shutdowns, please contact the District’s Maintenance Scheduler, Jimmy Weedin at (559) 884-2523 x108.

2019-2020 Quinquennial Shutdown Schedule

Week	Division Valves	Pumping Plants
October 7, 2019	26-1.7	26L
October 14		25R
October 21		5L
October 28		14RA
November 4		29RA, 29RB
November 12		14RB, 14RC
November 18		8L
December 2		14L
December 9		28RA, 28RB, 28R-1.0W
December 16		9L
January 6, 2020		23L
January 13		11L
January 27		18R

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

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.

Department of the Navy Agricultural Lease

Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest has provided the enclosed announcement informing interested bidders about a Department of the Navy Agricultural Lease at Naval Air Station Lemoore. Please use the contact information in the letter if you have any questions about this agricultural lease program.

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
ADVERTISEMENT FOR REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL TO LEASE GOVERNMENT LANDS
FOR AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES

1. The Department of the Navy, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, proposes to lease Government owned land for agricultural purposes located at the Naval Air Station Lemoore, California under the process and terms outlined in the Invitation for Bid (IFB).
2. Sealed bid and deposit must be received at Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest, ATTN: Megan MacKay, Real Estate, Code RRV11.MM, 1220 Pacific Highway, San Diego, California, 92132-5190, by 2:00 P.M. Pacific Time, on WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 30, 2019. The bid opening will be conducted via a live conference call ONLY at 2:00 P.M. Pacific Time on WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 30, 2019. As there will be no public access to the conference center, refer to call-in information in the IFB to listen to the actual bid opening. Bids will NOT be accepted after 2:00 P.M. FAX COPIES OF PROPOSALS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED RESPONSIVE.
3. DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTY

Parcel(s)	Acres(AC)	RFP Number	Lease Term
4A23/4A26	+/- 361.4 Total AC	N62473LO10800	One (1) five-year term Jan 1, 2020 -Dec 31, 2024 Option Period: One (1) five-year option term Jan 1, 2025 -Dec 31, 2029
4A24/4A25	+/- 302.7 Total AC	N62473LO10801	One (1) five-year term Jan 1, 2020 -Dec 31, 2024 Option Period: One (1) five-year option term Jan 1, 2025 -Dec 31, 2029
			Not to exceed Ten (10) years

4. IFB package and instructions will be posted electronically on Navy Electronic Commerce Online (NECO). Interested bidders can view the IFB package by parcel number, print, and submit the completed Bid Form with a bid deposit.
5. Interested bidders can access the following NECO website: https://www.neco.navy.mil/ and proceed with the following steps:
   1. Search Synopsis
   2. Under NAICS Code scroll down to: “111 – Crop Production”
   3. Click on “Search” at bottom of page.
   4. Click on “NAS Lemoore Parcel 4A23/4A26” or “NAS Lemoore Parcel 4A24/4A25”
   5. Click on “View Solicitation.”
   6. Under the Line Items section, download the file listed.
   7. The IFB documents must be reviewed thoroughly.
   8. Print the IFB documents, which include the Bid Form in the downloaded file.
   9. Complete and submit bid according to instructions outlined in the IFB.
6. If you are a registered user on NECO, you may add yourself to the Plan Holder List. The Plan Holder List will notify you if there are any updates or amendments to the advertisement. To add yourself to the Plan Holder List: after you click on View Solicitation, locate Plan Holder List (below Issue Date) and click on “Add/Del.”
7. If you have any questions, please contact Megan MacKay, Realty Specialist, at (619) 532-3905 or via email at megan.mackay@navy.mil.
8. The Department of the Navy reserves the right not to award the Lease.