JCSD Honors Congressman Takano with Local Leader of the Year Award

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Sacramento-Area Water Providers Harnessed Historic 2023 Storms to Boost Groundwater Levels

For over two decades, local water providers have utilized in-lieu recharge to store water in the region’s groundwater aquifers, resulting in significant increases in stored water and sustainable groundwater levels even during a megadrought. Some water providers are also equipped to store water through Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR), which allows them to deposit treated water into the groundwater aquifer during wet times using specially designed wells that can both recharge (inject) and recover (extract) water.

Optimizing the existing Water Bank infrastructure will make it possible to double the amount of water that can be stored to about 65,000 acre-feet of groundwater in wet years. And already-identified projects can triple recharge quantities to 90,000 acre-feet annually, serving about 270,000 households.

• Sacramento Suburban Water District (SSWD): More than doubled the percentage of surface water served to its customers in 2023 compared to 2022, banking 18,772 acre-feet of groundwater in the aquifers, enough to meet the annual water needs of over 56,300 households.
• Sacramento County Water Agency (SCWA): Increased surface water use by 29 percent in 2023 compared to 2022, resulting in approximately 10,220 acre-feet of groundwater stored in the aquifers, enough to meet the annual water needs of more than 30,600 households.
• City of Sacramento: Increased surface water use by 26 percent in 2023 compared to 2022, resulting in nearly 6,800 acre-feet of water stored in the groundwater basin, enough water to serve 20,400 people.
• City of Roseville: Increased the amount of water stored by 22-fold, banking 2,134 acre-feet of water in 2023 (enough to serve over 6,400 households) through Aquifer Storage and Recovery compared to just 96 acre-feet in 2022, when surface water was limited due to dry conditions.

Other local water providers who are part of the Sacramento Regional Water Bank and will also shift between surface water and groundwater use include California American Water, Citrus Heights Water District, Fair Oaks Water District, Carmichael Water District, and Golden State Water Company.

The Regional Water Authority (RWA) is a joint powers authority representing nearly two dozen water providers serving 2.2 million people in the greater Sacramento region. Formed in 2001, its primary mission is to help its members protect and enhance the reliability, availability, affordability and quality of water resources. Learn more at rwah2o.org.

City of Folsom Kicks Off Water Vision Project

Folsom’s Environmental and Water Resources Department is continuing its planning effort to guide the management of the city’s water resources over the next 50 years. Currently, the city gets its drinking water almost exclusively from Folsom Reservoir. The Folsom Water Vision project will help the city evaluate water supply alternatives to proactively plan for increased droughts, flood events, rising temperatures, and other challenges.

The city kicked off the Water Vision Project February 20 with an inaugural stakeholder meeting. The project team delivered a presentation highlighting current water resources, projected customer demands, and the community engagement strategy for project planning. More than 50 attendees offered feedback, addressing what they value, their concerns, and desired changes regarding Folsom’s water. Details and a recording of the workshop are available on the city’s website.

Understanding the community’s needs and priorities for water resource management is vital to the success of this planning effort. The community is invited to the second in a series of public meetings to learn about the project and share your needs, interests, and goals for creating a resilient water future.

For more information, contact Environmental and Water Resources Director Marcus Yasutake at 916-461-6161 or myasutake@folsom.ca.us. Stay informed at www.folsom.ca.us/watervision.

March 15, 2024 ACWA News Available

• D.C. Conference Attendees Connect with Administration, Congressional Leaders
• President Cathy Green Discusses Value of ACWA Federal Advocacy
• Agencies Share Experience, Advice on Legislative Tours and Outreach
• State Water Board Releases Revised Draft Regulation for Water Use Efficiency

Spotlight March 2024: Legislative Tours Maximize Outreach Effectiveness

McMullin Area Groundwater Sustainability Agency General Manager Matt Hurley hosts U.S. Rep. John Duarte on a recent tour of the agency’s On-Farm Flood Capture Project. Photo courtesy of MAGSA

Tahoe City sits squarely within the wildland urban interface, that zone where communities and forested wildlands meet, setting the stage for catastrophic impact on communities from wildfires. The area’s water supplier, the Tahoe City Public Utility District (TCPUD), knows how to mitigate that risk by upgrading water infrastructure with upsized waterlines and better fire hydrant spacing. But having the answer and having the funding are two different things.

Over the past few years, TCPUD has persistently engaged lawmakers at the state and federal level to educate them on this issue faced by small, rural communities and how to help support efforts to secure critical funding. Legislative tours played an effective role. Elected officials were brought to neighborhoods that clearly illustrated the danger and engaged in discussions about solutions to address the problem.

TCPUD’s efforts, in partnership with neighboring water agencies, helped secure federal funding through the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act for water infrastructure projects that address fire suppression deficiencies. Critical to this success was a tour for Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-3), who took a tour and worked to add projects to his 2024 fiscal year Community Project Funding list. A separate tour also demonstrated the value of these projects to Marie Alvarado-Gil during her race for the state Senate in 2022. The tour helped, now Senator Alvarado-Gil (D-Jackson), further cement her ongoing support for more state funding related to wildfire protection, already strong through her home community’s experience with the Caldor Fire in 2021.

“Seeing what can happen, what did happen with the Caldor Fire, then seeing a community facing the same risk, I think that really connected with her,” said Kim Boyd, TCPUD Director of Strategic Affairs and one-person public affairs team.

Boyd and other ACWA member agency communication professionals recently shared their experience and advice using tours to educate elected officials about critical issues. While larger agencies are at an advantage with larger staffs, smaller districts can also successfully incorporate tours for lawmakers into their outreach. 

In the Central Valley, the McMullin Area Groundwater Sustainability Agency (MAGSA) invited Rep. John Duarte (R-13) for a visit to the McMullin On-Farm Flood Capture Expansion Project. The tour tied together how the agency is engaged to bring its area into groundwater sustainability.

“Tours take your projects out of the abstract giving elected officials an on-the-ground insight into the work you are doing,” said MAGSA Deputy General Manager Cristel Tufenkjian. “You can visualize a giant sequoia tree from a picture, but physically standing in front of one brings a whole new perspective to the word ‘giant.’ Tours are an invaluable tool for MAGSA and worth the time and effort.”

Prepare for Persistence

Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD) in Riverside County maintains a robust legislative outreach program that has included about a dozen facility tours during the past five years. 

EMWD hosted a tour last year tied to its plans to build an indirect potable reuse facility. Local congressman U.S. Rep. Mark Takano attended along with U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland. The facility is scheduled to break ground later this year. 

However, organizing a successful tour can require persistence.

“There have been times, especially when we have newly elected legislators, that it has taken a while,” said EMWD Director of Policy and Governmental Affairs Jolene Walsh, about sending invites for other tours and not hearing back. “But we don’t give up and assume they’re not interested. We continue to engage and attract their attention.”

Personalize Materials

Elected officials understand the connection between what they see during a tour and what it means to their constituents’ quality of life. However, finding ways to further amplify that connection can heighten a tour’s ultimate value. EMWD emphasizes this link through personalized materials, such as personalized Capital Improvement Program booklets. These include a cover with an elected official’s photo and copy that highlights specific infrastructure and exactly how it benefits a given district.

“They really appreciate having the summary of projects in their area,” EMWD’s Walsh said. “It draws a direct line between the value of a project and the quality of life for their constituents.”

Find Partners

A common thread running through advice on legislative tours from agencies contacted focuses on forging partnerships. The resulting teamwork can result in a highly effective, and compelling, tour for elected officials and decision makers. This can include teaming up with neighboring districts, cities and regional alliances.

For example, TCPUD worked through its membership in the Tahoe Fire for Water Partnership in organizing the tours for U.S. Rep. Kiley and Senator Alvarado-Gil.

“Leveraging partnerships is a must,” said TCPUD’s Boyd, adding that tours have become part of a ramped-up outreach program for the district during the past four years.

The Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District (Upper District) regularly offers a tour for local partners and elected officials. Familiar with the Upper District’s tours, Assemblymember Blanca Rubio (D-Baldwin) requested one on a couple of occasions to educate her staff on local water issues and for her agriculture contacts in the Central Valley. 

With Assemblymember Diane Papan (D-San Mateo) becoming the new chair of the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife committee, Upper District staff worked with Rubio’s office to offer a February tour and acquaint her with its region and local water supply. In addition to state Senator Maria Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles), two board members from the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Board also joined. 

“What was unique about this tour is that we worked collaboratively with the other agencies in our region such as Three Valleys, San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District and Rowland Water District to help highlight their infrastructure needs and present a unified message on our water supply needs,” said Patty Cortez, Upper District’s Assistant General Manager for External Affairs.

D.C. Conference Again Highlights Importance of Our United Effort through ‘ACWA East’

ACWA’s presence in Washington D.C. counts among our association’s most valuable resources for member agencies. Bringing that fact home is ACWA’s annual D.C. Conference, where I recently joined more than 140 attendees for a three-day immersion into how, why, and where decisions on federal policy shape California’s water.

I am grateful to all who attended and participated in ACWA’s D.C. Conference. Additionally, my heartfelt appreciation goes to ACWA staff for organizing the conference, and to ACWA’s Federal Affairs Committee Chair Jolene Walsh, from Eastern Municipal Water District in Region 9, and Vice Chair Scott Peterson, from San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority in Region 6, for moderating the Federal Advocacy 101 Panel and the Congressional Speech Program.

This year’s event featured policy experts and leaders within Washington D.C.’s water advocacy community, sharing insights into federal priorities, as well as how California water agencies can engage in their own federal advocacy. It also included a panel discussion on this year’s pivotal election, moderated by ACWA’s new Director of Federal Relations Ian Lyle. We heard keynote addresses from Acting Assistant Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Water Bruno Pigott; U.S. Forest Service Associate Chief Angela Coleman; and Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton, who heads an arm of the federal government that plays a vital role in managing and funding California water infrastructure.

Reclamation has a substantial impact on California water through its operation of backbone infrastructure such as the Central Valley Project and reservoirs on the Colorado River. Reclamation is also a valuable federal partner that supplies planning and financial assistance for important projects, including the raise of B.F. Sisk Dam on San Luis Reservoir and restoration of capacity in essential conveyance facilities like the Friant-Kern Canal. The diligent federal advocates of ACWA East champion the cause of California’s water agencies in their work with officials at Reclamation, other federal agencies, and members of Congress. 

Overall, ACWA East’s advocacy is the finger ACWA keeps on the pulse of a myriad of issues affecting ACWA members. With billions of dollars in funding still available for Western water through the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and critical issues such as PFAS liability, regulation of lead and copper service lines, low-income rate assistance, and many others before Congress and federal agencies, it’s easy to see how vital our work in D.C. is to the whole of California water management. We will continue to support our members in maximizing federal funding for water infrastructure and prioritizing local control for your agency to continue fulfilling its critical mission. 

Coming into my new role as ACWA President, I am keenly aware of the early origins of our association, founded as the Irrigation Districts Association of California. Today, we represent the interests of diverse types of public water suppliers in California. We are, and must always remain, united in advancing each other’s success in serving communities, farms, and businesses across the entire state. ACWA’s commitment to being the leading voice for California water, both agricultural and urban, is at the heart of our 30-plus-year presence in our nation’s capital, where ACWA East works on behalf of our membership on every major federal water issue affecting your future. We are proud to lead for you, the united, local water management community of California! .

MCWD Celebrates National Groundwater Awareness Week

It’s National Groundwater Awareness Week. Because groundwater is the main source of water for Marina Coast Water District (MCWD) customers in Marina, Seaside, and the Ord Community, it is a good time to share how MCWD and its local partners are putting more water into the ground to ensure current and long-term water supply resiliency for communities, businesses, and the environment.

Managing Our Groundwater For the Long-Term 
Marina Coast Water District serves as a Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA). As a GSA, MCWD is responsible for the long-term management and health of our shared groundwater supply, partly funded with a $6.45 million grant. MCWD is starting a new project to protect Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems with Salinas Valley Basin GSA and Central Coast Wetland Group to better understand how to sustainably manage these ecosystems.

Preventing Seawater Intrusion. The District is evaluating a plan to extract intruded water near the coast to prevent seawater from flowing inland. This is a collaborative effort by MCWD and the Salinas Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency.

Indirect Potable Reuse of Recycled Water. MCWD completed a study showing how the District could inject recycled water into the groundwater aquifer and store it for future use.

Monitoring Wells in Collaboration with Neighboring Water Agencies 
MCWD staff is planning to install two monitoring wells in the Marina-Ord area and are working with the Seaside Watermaster and Monterey Peninsula Water Management District (MPWMD) to install additional wells that will monitor for seawater intrusion.

Collaborating on Long-Term Groundwater Management 
MCWD is participating in the Regional Deep Aquifer Study. The Study will provide a greater understanding of the deep aquifer — its breadth and size, safe yield, and more. Marina Coast Water District is undertaking this effort with urban and agricultural users in the Salinas Valley Groundwater Basin.

Reliable Partner and Leader in the Center of the Groundwater Basin 
The major water resources in the region all intersect in MCWD. The District owns a currently offline desalination plant that it is working to refit and bring online, shares ownership in a water recycling plant, and has aquifer storage and recovery facilities within its boundaries, along with extensive groundwater rights.

To share costs and ensure future reliable supplies for all, the District works extensively with Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency, Monterey County Water Resources Agency, Monterey Peninsula Water Management District, Seaside Watermaster, City of Marina, City of Seaside, City of Del Rey Oaks, City of Monterey, the County of Monterey, and California State University Monterey Bay.

MCWD will continue to provide customers with affordable, high-quality water, recycled water, and wastewater services through effective planning, management, and development of water resources in an environmentally sensitive manner.

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District Earns Two Awards for Project of the Year

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Westlands Water District Exceeds Annual Groundwater Recharge Goal

FRESNO –Westlands Water District (District) has officially recharged 380,000 acre-feet (af) of surface water back into District aquifers since March 2023 – exceeding the District’s ambitious target of recharging 275,000 af of groundwater by the end of this water year on February 29, 2024. The initial target of 200,000 af of recharge was exceeded in November and updated to reflect the positive momentum.

“Hats off to District farmers for their commitment and contributions to this significant achievement,” said Allison Febbo, General Manager, Westlands Water District. “Farmers in Westlands rank amongst the most productive and water-efficient in the world. Surpassing our groundwater recharge goal demonstrates that our farmers are stepping up doing their part to both ensure groundwater sustainability and aid in the long-term prospects of continuing to clothe and feed the nation with the bounty from this incredibly fertile land. Still, we acknowledge that Westlands cannot survive on groundwater recharge alone. For groundwater recharge to be truly effective, we must restore a robust and reliable surface water supply.”

Coming off a dry year with a 0% allocation, the District and farmers were quick to pivot to take advantage of the opportunity that came with increased surface water supply from the 2022/2023 winter. Westlands set an initial goal of recharging 200,000 af of surface water back into the Westside subbasin. Quickly the District and farmers got to work setting up a groundwater recharge program, approving, and implementing projects. District farmers took part in groundwater recharge programs and incentives established by the District to maximize the amount of water recharged. Projects included recharge basins, Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) wells, Flood-Managed Aquifer Recharge (Flood-MAR), and sublateral recharge. In total, 527 groundwater projects were approved throughout District boundaries, with a few more in development. With the implementation of these projects, we were able to successfully use 100% of our allocated supply and additional surface water made available from the Central Valley Project.

“With increasingly unreliable surface water supplies we’ve invested in making sure that every drop is maximized. We’ve led the way in implementing water conservation technologies and are forging ahead to implement solutions like groundwater recharge to help increase District water supplies,” said Jeff Fortune, Board President, Westlands Water District. “Recharge projects- which have recharged approximately a year’s worth of our aquifer’s sustainable yield- will provide a lifeline to hundreds of family-owned farms during evermore frequent periods when the District receives a low or no water allocation from the Central Valley Project. The Board is proud of the efforts of District farmers to take advantage of groundwater efforts during our recent wet winters and the District stands ready to build on this momentum.”

Westlands will continue to prioritize groundwater recharge efforts and projects in the 2024/2025 water year – minimizing water supply volatility by taking advantage of surface water supply when available to improve groundwater levels and store for future use.

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About Westlands Water District

Westlands Water District is recognized as a world leader in agricultural water conservation and has served the farmers and rural communities on the west side of Fresno and Kings counties for more than seven decades. As stewards of one of California’s most precious natural resources, Westlands continually invests in conservation and champions farmers deploying innovative irrigation methods based on the best available technology.

West Valley Water District Board of Directors Adopts a New Strategic Plan

1. Manage and Deliver a Safe, Reliable, and Sustainable Water Supply
2. Be an Exemplary Employer
3. Develop and Grow Effective Communication and Advocacy Practices
4. Strengthen Partnerships with Outside Agencies
5. Sound Planning, Innovation and Best Practices
6. Effective Financial Stewardship
7. Health, Safety, and Regulatory Compliance
8. Superior Customer Service

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