Water Resource Management The Oakdale Irrigation District’s strategic approach to resource management
Outline of Presentation 1. Water Rights 2. Water Code 3. Water Balance 4. Water Resource Plan 5. Water Demands
OID Water Rights – Short Version Pre 1914 & 1926 Adjudication Direct diversion 1,816.6 cfs Water Availability** March 1 thru October 30 1988 Agreement and Stipulation with BOR: OID/SSJID receive first 600,000 acre feet of inflow into New Melones. Water not used during irrigation season forfeited** to Bureau on September 30 th
CALIFORNIA WATER CODE It’s the “Playbook” for our Business “Who’s on first, What’s on second and I Don’t Know is on third.” Abbott and Costello
Water Code – The Rule Book (1,494 pages and 84,350 codes) Water Code 100 – Beneficial Use of Water; “The right to water… in this State is limited to that amount of water that can an be put to reasonable and beneficial use…and such right shall not extend to waste .” Water Code 109 – Efficient Use of Water; encouragement of voluntary transfer of water Water Code 1014 – Transfer of water…; effect on water rights; “Transfer of water…shall not cause , or be the basis for, forfeiture , abandonment, or modification of any water right…” Water Code 1745.07 – Effects of transfer on water rights; “ A transfer…of water is deemed to be a beneficial use by the transferor under this code.”
Water Code – Forfeiture & Efficiency Water Code 1241 – Reversion of Unused Water; “If a water user fails to use beneficially all or a part of the water claimed for the purpose for which adjudicated, for a period of five years , the water may revert to the public…and if reverted, be regarded as unappropriated water.” Water Code 10608.48 – Implementation of efficient water management practices; (SBx7 ‐ 7 legislation) Take Away: If you are not implementing efficient water management practices you are by default, inefficient and subject to waste and unreasonable use and forfeiture of your water.
OID Water Rights – At Risk? Stanislaus Basin NOT = Tuolumne and Merced Basins • TID MID CCSF MeID have storage; OID = no storage = forfeiture • Tuolumne and Merced Rivers ‐ “Junior” appropriator? • Stanislaus River – Bureau of Reclamation = Junior appropriator • Stanislaus River is over ‐ allocated due to OCAP ‐ BO • Bureau needs water to make ‐ up shortfall Federal politics: • Warren Act Contract denials Take ‐ away: Maximum protection of water rights is dependent on maximum utilization of water to a beneficial use
OID’S WATER BALANCE Ag Water Management Plan 2012 (7 year average) “The only way out of ignorance is awareness, which necessitates looking at the facts” Swami Premodaya
OID’s Water Balance – River to Farm Gate INFLOWS Diversions from River 232 K acre feet OID GW pumping 7 K acre feet Drainwater reuse 9 K acre feet Private tailwater reuse 2 K acre feet Total Canal Inflows 250 K acre feet OUTFLOWS KF + non ‐ OID deliveries 8 K acre feet Riparian + Evap 3 K acre feet Operational Spills 17 K acre feet Seepage 36 K acre feet Total Canal Outflows 64K acre feet Outflows/Inflows = Delivery Efficiency = 64K/250K = 79%
OID’s Water Balance – Farm Gate to Crop Delivered to Farms: 250K inflows – 64K outflows = 186K INFLOWS At the farm gate 186 K acre feet Private drainwater reuse 3 K acre feet Private GW pumping 19 K acre feet Total Farm Inflows 208 K acre feet OUTFLOWS Crop Evap./Transp. 129 K acre feet Tailwater 55 K acre feet Deep percolation 24 K acre feet Total Farm Outflows 208 K acre feet Crop ET/Applied Water = Irrigation Efficiency = 129K/208K = 62%
Irrigation Efficiencies of Systems OID’s on ‐ farm irrigation efficiency = 62% Irrigation efficiencies of well designed , well maintained and well managed systems • Basin 75 ‐ 85% • Border strip 80 ‐ 90% • Furrow 70 ‐ 90% • Sprinkler 65 ‐ 80% • Micro/Trickle/Drip 70 ‐ 80%
Reasonable and Beneficial Use?? How Close Are We? OID’s Delivery Efficiency = 79% (Goal = 90%) On ‐ Farm Irrigation Efficiency = 62% (Goal = 80%) Overall Operational Efficiency = 49% (Goal = 72%) Take ‐ away : More investments required in modernization and conservation projects District ‐ wide . Where’s the money going to come from??
OID’s WATER RESOURCES PLAN “The one thing worse than being blind is having sight and no vision.” Helen Keller
OID’S Conundrum in 2003 In analyzing its position in 2003 OID found… It had significant risk exposure to its water rights… It was not efficient operationally… Its farmers were not efficient agriculturally… It needed significant capital to address its issues… It had one source of revenue (power) which was highly variable and inconsistent in revenue production… What do you do? YOU MAKE A PLAN!
Prelude to Planning is a Mission Statement OID’s Mission Statement (2003) To protect and develop Oakdale Irrigation District water resources for the maximum benefit of the OID community by providing excellent irrigation and domestic water service.
OID Water Resources Plan – The Vision The Water Resources Plan A 2 ‐ Year Public Process • Adopted June 2006 / Certified 2007 • A 2030 Planning Horizon • Goals and Objectives To protect OID water rights • To address federal and state challenges to OID water • Rebuild and modernize OID • Develop affordable financial mechanisms to • implement improvements
OID Water Resources Plan ‐ Findings Cost to Rebuild and Modernize OID Water System $168 million in 2006 • $92 million in normal life ‐ cycle replacements • Pipeline replacements make up $42 million • $32 million in modernization • $44 million in main canal and tunnel hazards Added cost of $117 per acre
OID Water Resources Plan ‐ Findings Pass ‐ thru of Costs to water users would be burdensome to… 1. dairies; higher feed costs 2. pasture; making it unaffordable to grow. • pasture leases in 2005 were $150 ‐ $175 per acre Impact : The cultural of Oakdale would change. The public at the time did not want that. Result : A WRP that provided “ balance ” in how it generated revenues to R&M
OID Water Resources Plan ‐ Findings WRP identified 67,000 acre ‐ feet of conserved water over the 2030 horizon To provide “balance” in how revenues would be generated the Plan proposed the following: • 40,000 acre feet in transfers to out of area purchasers who could afford higher priced water • 10,000 acre feet for local/municipal needs who could afford less • 17,000 acre feet for ag annexations at moderate rates
Budget Reality Versus System Reality OID’s Budget based upon Power and Water Revenues OID Expenses (2013 Audit) OID Revenues (2013 Audit) O&M $ 4.6 mill Water Chg. $ 1.5 mill Water Ops $ 2.2 Interest Income $ 0.3 G&A $ 3.5 Property Tax $ 1.9 TDP (undist.funds) $ .3 TDP + TDA $ 7.3 Depreciation $ 2.4 B ‐ S & C ‐ W $ 0.0 CIP $ 2.5_______ Water Transfers $ 4.0_____ Total $15.5 mill Total $15.0 mill CIP needs to be $6 million per year
Getting to a Balance Farmers need to irrigate more efficiently • That takes $$ OID needs to rebuild and modernize its water delivery system • $3 million/year in replacement costs • $3 million/year in modernization and tunnel costs Using our water assets in combination with power revenues and higher water rates is the balance provided in the WRP.
WATER DEMANDS “Let’s keep our water local!” “Why sell water outside the area?” So who wants OID water? “Facts matter not at all. Perception is everything.” Stephen Colbert
Who Wants OID Water? Those we’ve talked to locally Their Response 1. City of Oakdale Yes, but… 2. City of Riverbank No, but… 3. City of Modesto No, but… 4. TID and MID No! 5. SRWA (S. Modesto, Ceres, Turlock, ??) Yes, but… 6. Out of District Ag Yes, but… 7. SEWD Yes, but… 8. Del Puerto Yes, but…
Who Wants OID Water? Those we’ve talked NOT local Their Response 1. Brisbane Yes, but… 2. CCSF Yes, but… 3. Bureau of Reclamation Yes, but… 4. State Contractors Yes, ready 5. Federal Contractors Yes, ready • Reality – No shovel ‐ ready water demand currently exists in our area. • Reality – OID will not be a domestic water provider
Take Aways’ from Presentation Water Rights: OID doesn’t have a full ‐ use water right and consequently its rights have continual risk if not fully exercised each year. Water Code: Maximum protection of water right is maximum utilization to a beneficial use. Water Balance: We can do better, but it will take money.
Take ‐ Aways’ from Presentation Water Resource Plan: It’s a balanced approach to meeting all the critical needs of OID’s operation; water rights protection, legislative challenges, infrastructure, finance and more. Read the Plan! Water Demand: Until local demand develops , water will continue to be used to meet the financial needs of OID and to protect the water right itself.
For OID, it’s all about the water… ‘ Protect the water, develop the water and maximize its use to the benefit of our community.’ ‐‐ OID mission statement
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