Making Every Drop Count: A Conversation With Jim Barrett of Coachella Valley Water District - Volume 4 Issue 10
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Volume 4 Issue 10 November/December 2013
Making Every Drop Count: A Conversation With
Jim Barrett of Coachella Valley Water District
Leadership Provides Water Solutions
By Kris Polly comprehensive and effective solutions to California’s water
supply problems. Rusty Jardine and Jim Abercrombie of
W
ater, like leadership, has no substitute. the Truckee-Carson and El Dorado irrigation districts
Solutions to water problems require leadership. respectfully, show leadership in addressing the challenges
With the exception of a timely rain, solutions of their districts. Damien Pearson describes how extreme
to water problems do not happen on their own. This drought in Australia spawned an innovative and “smart”
issue of Irrigation Leader magazine focuses on California, canal gate technology now used around the globe. Finally,
a state with arguably some of the most far-reaching and Garry Brown and Kent Johnson show us there are always
devastating water problems. Each article in this issue better and more efficient solutions; whether it is an
highlights the importance of leadership in finding and innovative valve design or state-of-the-art water tracking,
creating solutions to these problems. accounting, and delivery software.
In our cover interview, Coachella Valley Water We hope you enjoy this issue of Irrigation Leader.
District General Manager Jim Barrett discusses how As with our past issues, every person written about is a
his career in the U.S. Navy was instrumental to his leader. All work hard to find and create water solutions.
success in the irrigation business. Steve Bigley explains This magazine applauds their efforts and the tremendous
the costs associated with treating water for naturally examples they set for the western water community.
occurring chromium-6 and the value of using imported
Colorado River water. Maria Gutierrez describes the Kris Polly is editor-in-chief of Irrigation Leader magazine and
impact of endangered species act decisions on the Latino president of Water Strategies LLC, a government relations firm
community in the Central Valley of California and how he began in February 2009 for the purpose of representing and
her organization is leading the way to sensible water guiding water, power, and agricultural entities in their dealings
policies. Candace Nelson tells us how the Imperial with Congress, the Bureau of Reclamation, and other federal
Valley Conservation Research Center is leading on a government agencies.
host of irrigation uses. Dan Keppen, Jason Peltier, and He may be contacted at Kris.Polly@waterstrategies.com.
Randy Record all discuss the path forward for finding
The Water and Power Report
www.WaterAndPowerReport.com
The Water and Power Report is the one-stop
aggregate news site for water and power issues
in the 17 western states. Sign up for the free
“Daily” service to receive e-mail notice
of the top headlines and press releases
each business day.
2 Irrigation Leader
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 C O N T E N T S
2 Leadership Provides Water Solutions
By Kris Polly
Volume 4 Issue 10 4 Making Every Drop Count: A Conversation With
Irrigation Leader is published 10 times a year with Jim Barrett of Coachella Valley Water District
combined issues for November/December and
July/August by:
9 Addressing Chromium-6 in the Coachella Valley
Water Strategies LLC By Steve Bigley
P.O. Box 100576
Arlington, VA 22210
10 The Impact of ESA Decisions on the Latino
Community in the Central Valley
Staff:
By Maria Gutierrez
Kris Polly, Editor-in-Chief
John Crotty, Senior Writer 14 Imperial Valley Conservation Research Center
Robin Pursley, Graphic Designer
By Candace Nelson
Capital Copyediting, LLC, Copyeditor
SUBMISSIONS:
18 California Water Could Benefit From Using the
Irrigation Leader welcomes manuscript, Right Kind of Discretion
photography, and art submissions. However, the By Dan Keppen
right to edit or deny publishing submissions is
reserved. Submissions are returned only upon 22 The Challenge of Moving the Bay Delta
request. Conservation Plan Forward
ADVERTISING: By Jason Peltier
Irrigation Leader accepts one-quarter,
half-page, and full-page ads. For more information
on rates and placement, please contact Kris Polly
District Focus:
at (703) 517-3962 or 26 Truckee–Carson Irrigation District
Irrigation.Leader@waterstrategies.com.
By Rusty Jardine
CIRCULATION:
Irrigation Leader is distributed to irrigation district
managers and boards of directors in the 17 western
BOARD MEMBER PROFILE:
states, Bureau of Reclamation officials, members 28 Jim Abercrombie, El Dorado Irrigation District
of Congress and committee staff, and advertising
sponsors. For address corrections or additions, General Manager
please contact our office at
Irrigation.Leader@waterstrategies.com. International:
Copyright © 2013 Water Strategies LLC. Irrigation 34 Drought in Australia: From Crisis to Innovation
Leader relies upon the excellent contributions of
By Damien Pearson
a variety of natural resources professionals who
provide content for the magazine. However, the
views and opinions expressed by these contributors Water Law:
are solely those of the original contributor and do
not necessarily represent or reflect the policies or 36 California Water Agencies Advance Dialog
positions of Irrigation Leader magazine, its editors, With Statewide Water Action Plan
or Water Strategies LLC. The acceptance and use of
advertisements in Irrigation Leader do not constitute
By Randy Record
a representation or warranty by Water Strategies LLC
or Irrigation Leader magazine regarding the products, THE Innovators:
services, claims, or companies advertised.
38 The Brown Weight Valve: A Simple Solution for
COVER PHOTO: Jim Barrett, general Maintaining Water Levels
manager of Coachella Valley Water 40 IT Solutions for Water Providers: TruePoint
District. Photo by staff of Coachella
Solutions
Valley Water District.
46 CLASSIFIED LISTINGS
Irrigation Leader 3
Jim on the Coachella Branch of the
All American Canal. This canal brings
Colorado River Water from the All
American, 123 miles away, to the
Coachella Valley via gravity.
Making Every Drop Count:
A Conversation With Jim Barrett of
Coachella Valley Water District
J im Barrett has his hands full. He leads a complex water
district formed in 1918 to protect and conserve water
sources that serve 1,000 square miles of the arid Coachella
Valley in Riverside County, California. The Coachella Valley
water to 108,000 homes and businesses. The domestic side
generates 35 percent of district revenues, while irrigation
accounts for approximately 1 percent.
Jim is relatively new to the water business, but he brings
Water District’s (CVWD’s) 500‑person staff delivers irrigation a wealth of facilities and property management experience to
and domestic water, collects and recycles wastewater, provides the job. He spent 28 years in the Navy Civil Engineer Corps
regional storm water protection, replenishes the groundwater managing onshore facilities and ensuring smooth transitions
basin, and promotes water conservation. through the large-scale base closures of the 1990s. He retired
CVWD’s annual 330,000 acre-foot allotment of Colorado as a captain. In 2006, he became director of water for the
River water, delivered via the Coachella Canal, directly City of San Diego and then moved on to become director of
supports approximately 1,000 irrigation accounts, including public utilities (water and wastewater). Jim became general
28 golf courses and more than 65,000 irrigated farm acres. manager of CVWD in April 2013, 2 years after joining the
Farms in the Coachella Valley produce a variety of fruits, administration. Irrigation Leader’s editor-in-chief, Kris
vegetables, and grains—including dates, grapes, lemons, Polly, spoke to Jim about the challenges of water conservation
carrots, peppers, and sorghum—that in 2012 were valued and facilities improvements and about making the most of a
at more than $575 million. The district also delivers potable precious resource.
4 Irrigation Leader
Kris Polly: Please tell our readers about some of older, cleaner water, while the upper aquifer holds all the
CVWD’s recent water conservation efforts. agricultural runoff operations. The aquitard limits our
ability to place effective replenishment facilities in the
Jim Barrett: We are conducting a pilot project that eastern part of the valley.
would automate deliveries of canal water. Back in the
1970s, CVWD had started planning canal automation Kris Polly: Please describe your work on the
and telemetry, but due to a variety of factors, we continue Whitewater Replenishment Facility.
to run the system predominantly through manual labor.
It is very labor intensive—zanjeros go out and open the Jim Barrett: The Whitewater River carries mountain
valves to balance the system as delivery orders come in. runoff and water imported from MWD into the
The goal of the pilot project is to automate the delivery of Whitewater Replenishment Facility to supplement the
2,500 acre-feet and see how successful we are from there. CVWD aquifer. In 2009, large storm water flows brought a
We also incentivize conservation measures for our lot of sediment into the facility and its waterways. For the
agricultural customers. Ten years ago, we hired a consultant past few years, we have been restoring and improving the
to teach farmers to use scientific irrigation scheduling and facility. We decided it was best to move the leader channels
salinity control methods, as well as to work with them to out of the storm water channels to the south side of the
move from flood irrigation to microirrigation. Those who facility to prevent future damage during similar storms.
participated reduced water use by 14 percent. We’re continuing to dredge out sediment and relocate
We are looking at expanding our delivery system to radial and intake gates, so they are not quite as exposed
provide additional irrigation. The first location we are should there be another storm. In essence, we are isolating
investigating is the Oasis Slope on the eastern side of the the facility and letting storm water flow down storm water
valley. The $25 million project would bring in another channels as it should to avoid the sedimentation that clogs
6,500 acres of farmland with 20 miles of additional up percolating ponds at the facility. The end result will
pipeline. It will be a pumped system, and the beneficiaries improve replenishment efforts and reduce the risk of storm
will pay a surcharge. water damage
We also use Colorado River water for groundwater
replenishment. Some of our farmers pull water out of the Kris Polly: What are the biggest challenges Coachella is
ground to irrigate, which is a concern because of overdraft, facing now?
the risk of subsidence, and ultimately higher pumping costs
as the groundwater level falls. Some of those folks are on Jim Barrett: The biggest challenge on the irrigation
the Oasis Slope, so we’re hoping that by providing the side is finding productive ways to not only best utilize the
expanded river water irrigation, we can reduce the number water we are receiving from the Colorado, but to make
of customers relying on the aquifer. Along those lines, sure we have an effective plan to utilize the additional
CVWD constructed the Thomas E. Levy Groundwater 100,000 acre-feet we are getting from the Quantified
Replenishment Facility in 2009. We’re able to put Settlement Agreement, which does not include an extra
40,000 acre-feet of Colorado River water back into the 35,000 acre-feet of Colorado River water in an agreement
ground each year. between CVWD and MWD. Overshadowing all of that is
We partner with the Desert Water Agency for the Bureau of Reclamation’s Colorado River Basin Study,
replenishment at the Whitewater Groundwater which is forecasting drought. If you put a lot of stock in
Replenishment Facility on the western end of the valley. the most recent models, there could be areas as dry as a
With the Desert Water Agency, we are the equivalent of parking lot two years from now, while Lake Powell will not
the third-largest contractor of the State Water Project have enough water to generate power and Las Vegas will
(SWP) system. Together, our combined allocation provides have a tough time drawing water out of Lake Mead.
almost 195,000 acre-feet from the SWP annually. There’s We are part of a team working to find a regional
no physical connection to the system, so through an solution. Those solutions may cause us to forgo some
exchange agreement with the Metropolitan Water District initiatives in order to truly make use of every drop
of Southern California (MWD), we trade SWP water drop available. We have dedicated a lot of energy into getting
for drop for Colorado River water. as much water as possible for the district, and the last
At the Whitewater facility, the geology is such that thing we want to say is that we don’t need it in advance of
we were able to make the facility larger as demand for some actual crisis. The challenge is to use what we have
water within the valley has increased. As you move down productively and effectively.
valley, we have an aquitard that separates the upper and We provide water to more than 100 golf courses—large
lower aquifers around La Quinta. The lower aquifer holds irrigation users—and have been working to incentivize a
Irrigation Leader 5
move from groundwater use to Colorado River or recycled
water. Golf is an extremely competitive business in the
area, and local golf resorts are very aware of pumping
and irrigation costs. In addition to the 28 golf courses on
Colorado River water, we have 22 golf courses on a blend
of recycled and Colorado River water, and we are actively
working to add more to the nonpotable supply.
The replenishment and recycling takes us to the
Agua Caliente lawsuit. The tribe would prefer that we
leave all the water in the ground and not put any more
Colorado River water into the aquifer. The tribe argues
that Colorado River water is degrading the quality of
groundwater. It is an ironic claim because the State of
California is in the process of declaring the water in some
areas of the aquifer to be unfit for human consumption
unless treated to remove the naturally occurring presence
of chromium-6.
A draft maximum contaminant level (MCL)
standard for drinking water was floated in August with
a 45‑day comment period. We project that if the draft
standard of 10 parts per billion—equal to 10 drops
per 10,000 gallons—is adopted, CVWD will have to
make a significant initial capital investment upward of
$500 million and increase annual operating costs by
$60 million. That could effectively increase the cost to our
domestic users by more than an extra $50 a month. The
state is obligated to evaluate the health risk due to the
presence of that contaminant with the economic cost of
remediating it. The economic impact seems to have been
grossly underestimated.
California will be the first state in the union to have
a naturally occurring chromium-6 only standard for
drinking water. The Environmental Protection Agency
has a standard of 100 parts per billion for total chromium. Jim holding a piece of microirrigation tape, which is buried
The proposed California standard is far more aggressive. in the center of these rows of artichokes. Irrigation water
never sees the light of day, as it is delivered at the root zone
We believe our chromium-6 comes from rocks, located
of the plant.
particularly near fault lines. The San Andreas Fault runs
through the northeast part of the valley. We have the
presence of serpentine rock along the San Andreas, and
through degradation of that rock, chromium-6 is released. Jim Barrett: Being politically sensitive to my elected
Half our wells will be impacted. board members. In the military, we didn’t have elected
One of the benefits of Colorado River water is that board members. . . . As long as I did what my boss
it doesn’t have any chromium-6 in it, and where we have wanted, I was okay. With the City of San Diego, I was
been doing replenishment activities, we’ve found that our constantly doing outreach to special-interest groups, so
wells are within the standard. Near the Levy facility, we’ve we could line up the votes the mayor needed. Being able
found that where wells were once 15 parts per billion, to communicate why I need to do the things I need to do
they are now below detectable levels. Replenishment has is very important—not only for the board to defend the
diluted the presence of chromium-6. actions the district needs to take, but also so my customers
know that their money is being put to good use.
Kris Polly: What is the most important thing you have
learned that has helped you succeed in your position as
manager?
6 Irrigation Leader
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Addressing Chromium-6 in the Coachella Valley
By Steve Bigley
T
he California Department of Public Health has
recently proposed a drinking water standard of 10 parts
per billion for chromium‑6 that, if adopted, would be
the first in the nation. Almost all the drinking water Coachella
Valley water agencies provide comes from groundwater
sources, and about half of these sources contain chromium‑6
levels above the proposed standard.
Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) has unique
experience installing and operating treatment facilities that
remove naturally occurring arsenic and chromium‑6 in the east
Coachella Valley. Based on this experience, CVWD estimates
the annual cost to Coachella Valley ratepayers will be close
to $100 million to comply with the proposed chromium‑6
standard. California’s estimated annual compliance cost is
$156 million for the whole state. The annual cost to each
CVWD domestic water customer is expected to exceed $500.
However, wells near the groundwater replenishment
facilities, where Colorado River water is put into the basin,
will be spared this need for costly treatment.
Blending sources of water has long been a successful
technique for water purveyors attempting to match quality to
use. This arrangement in the Coachella Valley, though, may
help reduce the tremendous costs associated with the new
chromium‑6 standard.
The Desert Water Agency and CVWD have a long-
standing arrangement with Metropolitan Water District to
trade their combined State Water Project allotment for an
equal amount of Colorado River water. This arrangement has
been beneficial to all parties in several different ways, but the
proposed maximum contaminant level for chromium‑6 has
highlighted a new benefit for the residents of the Coachella
Valley. Attention to chromium‑6, however, has shined light on an
Colorado River water entering facilities that replenish the entirely new benefit provided by this water source.
aquifer has no measurable chromium‑6, and groundwater If the proposed standard is adopted, treatment facilities
sources located close to those facilities have chromium‑6 may need to be installed to reduce chromium‑6 levels found in
levels below the proposed limit. The Desert Water Agency about 100 public water wells located throughout the Coachella
has conducted an analysis of chromium‑6 levels since the Valley, but those close to the replenishment ponds will be able
proposed standard was announced. Those data were combined to remain untreated.
with CVWD’s chromium‑6 testing to create a contour map California water agencies are hoping to see a change in the
that clearly demonstrates lower levels of chromium‑6 near proposed standard, and they have been submitting data to the
Colorado River water replenishment activities. California Department of Public Health. Regardless of where
The importation of Colorado River water to the Coachella the standard is set, the Coachella Valley
Valley has always been vital to the region’s growth and has demonstrated yet another benefit of
sustainability. The agreement to trade the State Water Project Colorado River water importation.
allotment to Metropolitan Water District of Southern
California for Colorado River water was a wise management Steve Bigley is the director of
decision that saved taxpayers millions of dollars that would environmental services at Coachella Valley
have been spent to extend the infrastructure to the valley. Water District. You can reach Steve at
The arrangement allows the Coachella Valley to replenish (760) 398-2651 or SBigley@cvwd.org.
groundwater supplies and even bank excess water in wet years.
Irrigation Leader 9
The Impact of ESA Decisions
on the Latino Community
in the Central Valley
By Maria Gutierrez
F
or the Latino community in California’s Central
Valley, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) is just a
euphemism for the devastation of our people and
our community. For Central Valley Latinos, the ESA is a
recipe for economic and personal disaster.
No one wants to unnecessarily kill any animals,
endangered or not. I certainly don’t. But I believe every
law must be weighed on its entire set of consequences—to
animals and to humans. And in the valley, the ESA means
little or no improvement in the fate of species but, instead,
clear, unavoidable, and devastating effects on humans,
especially Latinos who make up the vast majority of the
valley’s most economically vulnerable population.
The Economic and Human Toll
of Water Mismanagement
In 2009, the Bureau of Reclamation shut off Central
Valley water to valley agriculture—to protect a minnow.
The Latino community suffered first and most. Jobs ended,
families were torn apart, and great damage was done
at every level of the economy. Homes were foreclosed
on. Businesses went under. In some communities,
unemployment rates skyrocketed to over 40 percent.
In 2009, the Latinos of the Central Valley came
to Congress and others, hat in hand, and said, “Our
community is suffering; we badly need relief.” Our plea fell
on deaf ears. Our community feels like it was ignored and
marginalized—to protect a minnow.
And now, we know that 2009 was just a prelude to
today’s devastating cuts. This year, over 800,000 acre-
feet of fresh water was flushed out to sea as a result of
decisions made under the ESA. As a result, reservoirs are
now running dry. Current projections indicate that Central
Valley agriculture will likely receive zero percent of its
water allocation. This is unacceptable.
It is often said that the San Joaquin Valley feeds the
world. However, in 2009, because of the effects of man-
made drought caused by the ESA, it could barely feed
itself. As a result, I became involved in putting together the
“Feed the Need” food bank at the Fresno Fair—the largest
10 Irrigation Leadersingle-day, single-location food drive in the nation. We do
not want to go down that road again.
Water Is Everybody’s Business
This time we have a new strategy. Water is vital to
our culture and our future; there’s not enough, and we
can’t take our share for granted. Every decision—ESA-
related or otherwise—that cuts off water hurts us. So we
need to pay attention and engage in the debate, especially
now, when the Latino community’s voice has never been
stronger.
A major media campaign called El Agua Es Asunto de
Todos has emerged in the Central Valley. The message is
being delivered via Spanish language media. The purpose
is to encourage the Latino community to engage and get
involved in the water debate, one that has been created as a
direct result of the ESA.
Not long ago, El Agua Es Asunto de Todos commissioned
a poll to judge the effectiveness of its media campaign.
The results are telling. When it comes to priorities, valley
Latinos overwhelmingly (78 percent) prefer to “give valley
agriculture the water it needs” rather than divert water to
protect an endangered fish. In fact, the feeling in favor
of water for placing farms and families ahead of fish is
so strong that among 93 percent of registered Latino
voters who identify themselves as Democrats, 54 percent
would support any politician, regardless of party, willing
to solve our valley’s water crisis while also promoting pro- Rows upon rows of trees in the San Joaquin Valley are
agriculture, pro-jobs water priorities. By a 2 to 1 margin, knocked down due to inadequate water supplies.
the Latino community indicated it would break partisan
ranks to throw its support behind individuals working to We believe that when the Latino community in
place families and farms first and solve the Central Valley’s California, and across the country, fully engages in the
water crisis. water debate, it will persuade state and national leadership
to reach this conclusion: We, as Californians and as
Leading the Way to Americans, need common-sense solutions that provide
a reliable water supply and take a balanced approach
Sensible Water Policies to providing for our communities and preserving our
environment for future generations.
Nearly 40 percent of California’s population is Latino—
the largest demographic group in the state. Nationally,
Maria L. Gutierrez is a Central Valley
Latinos are the largest minority group (17 percent) and
resident and a volunteer for El Agua
account for more than half of the nation’s population
Es Asuntos de Todos. This article
growth over the last decade. According to the 2011 census,
has been adapted from Ms. Gutierrez’s
eight states have an Hispanic population of over one
October 10, 2013, testimony before the
million people: Texas, Florida, New York, Illinois, Arizona,
Congressional Working Group on the
New Jersey, Colorado, and California.
Endangered Species Act.
Latinos also make up over 50 percent of the population
You can learn more about
in California’s Central Valley. We Latinos are proud of the
El Agua Es Asunto de Todos at
work we do in the valley. We grow the crops that feed the
http://www.aguaasuntodetodos.com.
world, and we do it in a modern, scientific, sustainable way.
We are good stewards of Mother Earth.
Irrigation Leader 11ADVERTISEMENT
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Imperial Valley
By Candace Nelson
T
he readers of Irrigation Leader know even more
Conservation acutely than most how precious our natural
resources, particularly water, are in the West. With
record droughts ongoing, and a growing world population
Research Center that relies not only on fresh water but on the food that
irrigated agriculture provides, the need to ensure that
modern agriculture is as efficient and productive as possible
is only gaining in importance.
A 160-acre farmer-operated research farm in Brawley,
California, is playing a key role in helping to make sure
that happens.
Brawley is located in the center of Imperial County,
one of the premier agriculture regions in the nation. In
2011, the farms of Imperial County produced just under
$2 billion worth of cattle, hay, produce, grain, seed, and
other crops.
With its year-round growing season and rich alluvial
soils deposited over thousands of years of Colorado River
flooding, a few people saw potential in the region around
the turn of the last century and secured a reliable source of
water from the Colorado River. That move turned a barren
desert into a world-class agricultural oasis, boasting around
450,000 irrigable acres. With precisely timed irrigation
and an ideal climate, alfalfa crops easily average 8 or more
tons per acre, lettuce and broccoli can be harvested during
the Christmas break, and enough Durum semolina wheat
is produced to supply the entire population of Italy with
pasta for over a month.
Yet the region has its challenges as well. Like any other
region in the West, water is a precious commodity that
must be used with increasing efficiency. The climate, while
ideal for winter production, can be quite harsh during
the summer, with temperatures well into triple digits
for 100 days each year. Salinity is also a significant issue.
Not only are the soils highly saline (giving the area its
nickname of the Salton Sink), but the irrigation water that
is the region’s lifeline brings with it 1 ton of salt per acre-
foot.
It was this salinity that brought Imperial Valley’s
farmers together during the late 1940s to establish a
research station. Much of the valley’s land was suffering
from increasing salinity, and the local growers knew
that something had to be done. They worked together to
An irrigation ditch at raise enough funds to purchase 160 acres of land, which
the research center. was then leased to the county and the U.S. Department
of Agriculture (USDA) for $1 per year for agricultural
Sprinkler irrigation on a test plot.
14 Irrigation Leaderresearch. irrigation management, salinity tolerance and management,
“Instead of coming in and asking for funds, we put up seed production and testing, agricultural chemical
the money for the land up front,” said John Kubler, a long- development, and much more. And yet, while the center is
time member and former president of the farm’s oversight able to maintain its operations and keep its important work
committee. “That gave us a lot of advantages in dealing with going, the overall infrastructure of the center is aging and
the government. They were so impressed that it was locally in need of updates and repairs.
funded and had local participation.” The Imperial Valley Conservation Research Committee
On November 3, 1951, the Imperial Valley Conservation is currently looking into alternative sources of funding to
Research Center opened its doors as a USDA research help update the facilities and ensure that it can continue on
station. The investment paid off, as the station’s research well into the 21st century.
on the use of tile drainage to manage soil salinity brought Over the last 60 years, the center has aided not only
tens of thousands of acres of farmland back into viable Imperial County’s farmers. It has helped the entire nation
production. and beyond meet agricultural challenges by improving the
Over the next 60 years, research on salinity management efficiency of farming in terms of water use, average yield,
continued, along with studies of irrigation, pest control, salinity management, pest control, and much more. The
disease resistance, and salinity tolerance. The Imperial Star unique features of the region and of the center itself make
artichoke, developed primarily at the center, is one of the it ideally suited and offer unequaled opportunities for
first artichoke cultivars that can be grown from seed and research.
is considered to be one of the most widely adapted of all Moving to the forefront of the center’s focus in recent
artichokes. Disease-resistant sugar beets developed at the years has been energy production. Testing is currently being
center have kept thousands of people employed in a region conducted on sugar cane and sorghum for ethanol, as well
where unemployment hovers near 30 percent. Irrigation as a fast-growing tree that can be used for biomass energy
efficiency studies have helped improve drip and sprinkler production. This research could prove to be invaluable in
irrigation methods, which can reduce overall water use shifting the entire nation to more efficient, reliable, and
while maintaining crop yield. responsible forms of energy production.
And when the Imperial Irrigation District was facing “There are lots of plants with so much potential
an infestation of hydrilla that was threatening to choke its for biomass that are efficient users of water,” explained
canals, the center worked closely with the district, USDA, Mr. Kubler. “We would love to do more research on our
and the California Department of Food & Agriculture to own and study these crops, but we just don’t have the
use triploid (sterile) carp to control the fast-growing grass funding unless we have the clients.”
in hundreds of miles of canals in the district. But with the ongoing local support that has been the
Yet over the years, federal funding dwindled, until in hallmark of the center for over 60 years, the Imperial Valley
1999, the station was transferred out of the USDA system Conservation Research Committee fully expects to remain
to the nonprofit Imperial Valley Conservation Research at the forefront of agriculture research for many decades to
Committee. Once again, the local agriculture community come.
rallied around the research center and worked to ensure
that it continued its important work. The committee, which Candace Nelson is a fourth-generation
had existed in an advisory role, shifted to take an operations Imperial Valley native. After working
and management role, making the decision to continue the for a decade in the restaurant industry
work of the center by offering plots of land for lease for in the big city, she returned to her rural
research purposes. roots in Imperial Valley’s agriculture
Under its new structure, the Imperial Valley industry, where the food may not be as
Conservation Research Center provides land, irrigation fancy but the view is first rate. For more
water and management, and basic cultivation work, while information on the Imperial Valley
tenants provide seed and any additional cultivation and Conservation Research Committee,
management. contact Candace at (619) 517‑7905 or
All 140 acres of research plots are currently leased out candace@brawleyresearch.org.
to private tenants conducting research on crop genetics,
Research plot.
Irrigation Leader 15ADVERTISEMENT
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California Water Could Benef it From
Using the Right Kind of Discretion
By Dan Keppen fighting as the law creates “haves” and “have nots.” Next
year, those communities could be permanently crippled
F
armers and ranchers in California’s San Joaquin if the current ESA-driven management style in the
Valley are seriously worried about their future. California Bay–Delta does not change in a way that
The current implementation of the federal injects common-sense discretion and balance into the
Endangered Species Act (ESA) has redirected once- decisionmaking process.
reliable water supplies to the apparent needs of fish I have been involved with western water resources
protected by the ESA. The loss of that water and the matters for over 25 years, much of it in the service of
resulting loss of productive farmland is already chipping farmers and ranchers dependent on irrigation. During that
away at local rural communities—schools are closing, time, I have directly seen what improper and ineffective
vendors are going broke, and families and friends are administration of the ESA can do to rural communities.
I worked for the farmers and ranchers in the Klamath
Basin who had their 95‑year reliable water supply
curtailed in 2001 to meet the alleged needs of three fish
species protected by the ESA.
I worked for the water users in the San Joaquin Valley,
which was nearly devastated in 2009 when California
Bay–Delta water was deemed to be more important to
ESA-protected smelt than to farmers and ranchers.
In both the Klamath and San Joaquin Valley instances,
tremendous impacts were felt by landowners, water users,
local communities, other species, and the environment.
Meanwhile, benefits to the listed species of concern were
questionable at best, or even unknown.
The ESA was crafted with the intent to employ a
collaborative, cooperative, incentive-driven approach—it
is now being driven by litigation and narrowly focused
agency implementation. And now, these same agencies
are settling with the activist organizations who are suing
them, and no one really seems to know what is happening
in those meetings. We now have the potential to have
hundreds of new species added to the ESA list, when
we’ve done little to show that we can recover the ones that
are already listed.
This begs the question: Where will the next Klamath
or Bay–Delta crisis crop up in the West?
Western irrigated agriculture provides a $156 billion
boost to our economy. But more importantly, Americans
spend less of their disposable income on food than any
other country, which is a critical component of consumer
spending, a key driver in our economy. Experts tell us by
the year 2050, we will need to improve food production
by 70 percent to keep up with global hunger needs. This
18 Irrigation Leaderwill all be threatened if we don’t change how the ESA is
implemented, and soon.
Right now, our farmers and ranchers in California’s
San Joaquin Valley are facing a dire situation that could
turn into a potential disaster next year. In large part due
to water being dedicated to ESA-protected fish, up to
500,000 acres of prime farmland could lie fallow next year.
That’s an area more than half the size of Rhode Island.
The water cutbacks that have already occurred are not
increasing the populations of salmon and smelt. Further
cutbacks will only serve to harm agriculture and other
water users and their families. San Joaquin Valley farmers
cannot afford any more cutbacks in their water deliveries,
which will also add to unemployment that already has
reached Depression-era levels.
It is becoming increasingly difficult to manage our
water resources or even take action to improve our
ecosystems when the federal ESA is in play. Any federal
agency decision that can have any implication or impact
on a listed species must find agreement from those
people in the federal government who are charged with
implementing the ESA. The act that guides them requires
no balancing of interests, no concern for our food supply
or food safety, no thought toward the reality that we need
to increase global food production to feed a hungrier
planet, and no consideration of the human impacts
of their regulatory decisions. Their powers are nearly
boundless, and the judicial system gives their decisions
great deference.
We all know that the ESA is not going to be changed
anytime soon. But, in California and elsewhere, the
agencies need to step back and rethink the consequences
of their actions. Through restrictive ESA decisions, we
are disrupting America’s most important and valuable
asset—our ability to grow enough high-quality food to
consistently and securely feed our own people and the
world.
There is considerable discretion in how the ESA is
implemented. Even though the ESA does not require that
the human consequences of decisions be considered, it
does not prohibit such consideration.
Understanding the impacts
on people that come with ESA
decisions is simply good public
policy. To ignore how people are
affected is simply bad public policy.
Dan Keppen is the executive director
of the Family Farm Alliance. You can
reach Dan at (541) 892-6244.
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or phone 509-467-8487The Challenge of Moving the Bay
Delta Conservation Plan Forward
By Jason Peltier building of twin tunnels from the Sacramento River
35 miles south to the export pumping plants. With that
O
ver the last two decades of water shortages driven relocation, we’ll get 20 percent better water quality and
by Endangered Species Act (ESA) and other effectively screen out fish from the water we remove. The
environmental policy decisions, Westlands Water BDCP also reduces seismic vulnerability to which the
District and its farmers have employed a variety of tools to delta islands are subject.
cope with significant water supply cutbacks. The district Our goal is to have the BDCP and the EIS/EIR
has purchased 100,000 acres of land back from its growers. published in the Federal Register by November. We know
We have made an incredible investment in irrigation the prospects for the BDCP’s success are challenging
infrastructure. Eighty percent of the district is under drip because of the extremely complex institutional,
or microsprinkler, even row crops like cotton and melons. hydrodynamic, biological, and political settings. Ninety-
Growers have moved to higher-value vegetable and five percent of the aquatic biota in the ecosystem
permanent crops. These coping mechanisms have enabled are exotic. We operate in an environment in which
our growers to sustain their operations. But now, our predation impacts 90 percent of young salmon. We face
toolbox is about empty. a fundamental challenge with fishery agencies, which
Seven years ago, we determined that the Central Valley historically had supported relocating the intakes, suffering
Project will continue to be under the ESA regulatory from both a false sense of confidence about how to protect
gun and face an unreliable water supply unless we can fish and an aversion to risk. There is broad agreement
relocate the intakes of the Central Valley Project and State that the status quo in the delta regarding water supply
Water Project pumping plants from the south part of the availability and fisheries is unacceptable.
Sacramento Delta to the Sacramento River to the north. Twenty years of reallocating 2.25 million acre-feet
Together with Kern County Water Agency, Metropolitan a year from agricultural and municipal and industrial
Water District of Southern California, and Santa Clara (M&I) use to environmental use has severely damaged the
Valley Water District, Westlands has invested $240 million performance of the Central Valley Project. Our project
in the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) and related supplies have been reduced from 90 percent reliability
EIS/EIR documents. to 40 percent reliability. We have seen our supplies cut
The BDCP is a habitat by 40, 60, and 90 percent over the years. The regulatory
conservation plan under section mentality of the fish agencies has been to focus on the
10 of the ESA that sets forth two pumping plants, which have a combined capacity of
multiple goals and objectives: 15,000 cubic feet per second to move water south and
improving and protecting the west to about one‑third of the irrigated lands and one‑half
delta ecosystem, addressing the people in the state. What the BDCP attempts to
at-risk species, restoring water address is the reality that there is a suite of stressors on the
supply, and creating a reliable fish. We need a comprehensive approach to addressing the
water supply. The BDCP need of the listed species.
employs 22 conservation The predevelopment delta, all 700,000 acres, was a
measures, the number marsh with lots of land–water contact. That is now gone.
one being the The current system is food limited. The BDCP attempts
to address the lack of intertidal habitat with the creation
of up to 60,000 acres of it. That will help put carbon into
the system and build up the bottom of the food chain.
One thousand miles of canals surround the 70 islands
that make up the delta. The BDCP also proposes the
creation of miles of shaded riverine habitat. It pursues the
elimination or control of invasive species. For example,
Asian clams in the western delta, at 40,000 per square
yard, are filter feeders that take out the bottom of the
food chain every day.
22 Irrigation LeaderAnother area of focus in the BDCP is toxics. Presently, next year, we will have to make a very tough decision. If
the Sacramento Regional Sewage Plant discharges the drought persists, along with fishery restrictions, we
180 million gallons a day. It dumps 12 tons of ammonia could see an initial allocation of 0–10 percent.
into delta waterways every day, and there is evidence ESA regulators have a tremendous amount of
that the ammonia adversely affects the lower end of the discretion as to how the law is implemented. They are
food chain. Under an order from the state water quality driving the shortages; they are driving the operating
regulator, the plant has to undertake tertiary treatment. reality of the water projects. We have had 20 years of ESA
The Sacramento region is looking at a $1.5 billion bill to regulations, and the fisheries are still in decline. There is
clean up its wastewater discharge. a strong case to be made that these restrictions have not
Farmers are dealing with the adversity of a disrupted benefited the fisheries. There are many ways to help the
water supply. Whether the water districts can afford the fish beyond cutting project exports. We believe that the
$13 billion price tag for the twin tunnels—Westlands is BDCP provides an effective way forward to solve at-risk
looking at $2.5 billion—is going to be a question right up species and water-supply-related issues in California.
to the end. Whether we can afford to build the tunnels is
going to be a function of how they are operated. Fishery Jason Peltier is the chief deputy general
regulators can easily kill the project by restricting the manager of Westlands Water District.
pump operation such that the district cannot get enough Before joining Westlands, Jason
water out of the investment to make it worthwhile. You served for six years as deputy assistant
have to balance that cost with what life is like without a secretary for water and science with the
reliable water supply. U.S. Department of the Interior. You
This year, our farmers’ cheapest water was $150 per can reach Jason at (559) 224-1523 or
acre-foot. One of the reasons permanent crops are planted jpeltier@westlandswater.org.
is the need for higher revenue to pay for water on the
market, which costs upward of $400 per acre-foot. Early
Irrigation Leader 23ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Truckee–Carson Irrigation District
District Focus
By Rusty Jardine 300,000 acre-feet. It is with that supply that TCID
provides water to the users in this project.
O
ne of the first Reclamation projects TCID serves 2,500 water users irrigating
undertaken by the former United States approximately 60,000 acres on an annual basis. It is
Reclamation Service, pursuant to the divided into two divisions. The Truckee Division is
Reclamation Act of 1902, was the Newlands Federal small—1,800 acres encompassing the area near Fernly;
Reclamation Project. In fact, Derby Dam, located the remainder of TCID’s acreage is in the Carson
on the Truckee River east of Reno, Nevada, bears Division, which encompasses the area in and around
Reclamation specification number 001. The project Fallon.
includes Tahoe Dam and the resulting water in Farmers in TCID grow a variety of crops for the
storage at Lake Tahoe. benefit of livestock: alfalfa, hay, and corn. There are a
The Truckee–Carson Irrigation District (TCID) number of dairy farms in the Lahanton Valley. Dairy
was organized in 1918. Its purposes, at the time of its has been a presence in the valley for a long time and
creation, included the provision of a system of drain contributes significantly to the local economy. In
ditches for the project. Moreover, the district was addition, there is a substantial beef production in the
intended as collective for the protection of property area that is fueled by two major sale yards.
rights, i.e., water rights, within the boundaries of Hydropower in the district goes back to 1955.
the project. District structure, under governing state TCID owns and operates three hydro facilities. All
law, provides for an elected board consisting of seven told, our facilities produce 6 megawatts on average,
directors—all of whom are water users within the varying from year to year depending on water supply.
district. The largest of our facilities is at Lahontan Dam. Part
The Newlands Project is unique in that it is a of that energy is put back into the system and part
blend of two river systems: the Carson River and the is sold to a power cooperative that supplies the city
Truckee River, both of which have their headwaters of Fallon. TCID uses those additional revenues to
in the mountains of California. The Truckee River augment its budget and keep assessments down.
flows from Lake Tahoe, down through the cities of
Reno and Sparks, and winds its way to Pyramid Lake. Water Rights
Waters for both rivers are impounded in the Lahontan Individual landowners hold the water rights for
Reservoir, which has a capacity of approximately the waters of these rivers. The water is not owned and
Completed in 1905, Derby Dam is a diversion dam on the Truckee River
located between Reno and Fernley. It diverts water that would otherwise
feed Pyramid Lake into the Carson River watershed for irrigation use.
26 Irrigation Leadercontrolled by the United States in this project. TCID has Canal Breach and Rehabilitation
a special duty and relationship to each individual water In the early morning of January 5, 2008, a 50‑foot
right holder. Federal courts have adjudicated—through the portion of the Truckee Canal embankment failed about
Alpine and Orr Ditch decrees—allotments and associated 12 miles downstream from Derby Dam, releasing water
duties predicated upon acreage and land type: 4.5 feet per that inundated a residential development in the city of
acre for benchlands, 3.5 feet per acre for bottomlands, and Fernley, flooding 590 properties. Reclamation has imposed
1.5 feet per acre for pasturelands. restrictions on the water surface elevation allowed in the
TCID is also governed by a federal regulation, canal and the amount of water allowed to flow through the
Operating Criteria and Procedures for the Newlands canal. These restrictions could complicate the long-term
Federal Reclamation Project (OCAP) (43 CFR 418). ability of Reclamation to provide the Newlands Project
We are bound to follow OCAP as part of our operating water rights holders with reliable supplies.
agreement with the United States. Largely, OCAP was One of TCID’s most important achievements has
created to resolve the conflict that grew from the various been the rehabilitation of the Truckee Canal following
competing interests associated with these river systems. the breach. That involved removing all of the old takeouts
OCAP creates a system in which TCID satisfies the in the Fernly area and replacing them with new takeouts
demand of its users with the use of Carson River water, and associated stock water lines. In essence, we rebuilt
lessening the demand for Truckee River waters and 34 sections of the embankment of the Truckee Canal and
allowing more of that water to flow on into Pyramid Lake brought it up to modern engineering standards. We do
at the end of the system. The problem is that at one point not have a large annual budget—only $7 million—and the
during the year, the Carson River gives up the ghost and rehab was a $3 million project, but we made it work. My
goes dry for the summer. So TCID either has sufficient staff worked extremely hard to meet the urgency of the
water in storage or relies on waters from the Truckee canal breach and overcome the tragedy.
Canal side. It is a fairly complex system regulated by the Earlier this year, the Bureau of Reclamation released the
establishment of storage targets associated with Lahontan Truckee Canal Planning Study. The study proposed safety
Reservoir. enhancements to ensure the long-term integrity of the
canal going forward. For example, one such proposal would
Changing Uses line the entire Fernly reach of the canal, costing upward of
Our system is fully appropriated. There is no water to $100 million. Any kind of increase in canal flows would
be gained from any other source. As demand upstream likely require that kind of repair, so TCID will have to find
increases, it will be a challenge to protect the allotments creative investment strategies to make it happen.
associated with the acreage served by the district. TCID is
entering into settlements to resolve this issue. Water rights Planning for the Future
holders should get what they are allotted—no more, no We’re getting old as individuals and as a project. Our
less. I would venture to say that the Truckee River is one challenge is to integrate people who can take the reins
of the most litigated river systems in the United States. and develop for the future. With that in mind, TCID is
Parts of TCID’s service area have gone out of becoming more automated on key structures throughout
agricultural production over the years, and we have the project. My vision of the future of the district is to have
adapted. Uses have changed, and many lands have been a big control room with monitors showing exactly what is
subdivided. Many of those lands, however, retain the happening, enabling us to move water from one place to
ability to have surface waters applied to them, and we another with the push of a button. In addition, we need
remain responsible for delivering water to subdivisions. We to create a comprehensive planning document. We have
provide water to a point of delivery, much like in the days so much everyday activity—we go out there every day and
of old, and then a water coordinator takes it from there to put out fires. Long-range planning will help ensure that
apply the water to the subdivisions. we serve our constituents more
Beyond urbanization, there are other changing uses effectively and sustain the project.
that impact our ability to plan for the future. Under
Nevada law, beneficial uses include irrigation, recreation, Rusty Jardine is the general manager
municipal and industrial, fish and wildlife, habitat, and of the Truckee–Carson Irrigation
instream flows. Our largest single customer is the U.S. District. You can reach Rusty at
Fish and Wildlife Service and its Stillwater Refuge. We (775) 423-2141 or rusty@tcid.org.
also provide recreation: The water we impound behind
Lahontan Dam is a recreation area, and the associated
park is one of the most attended in Nevada.
Irrigation Leader 27B O A R D M E M B E R P R O F I L E:
Jim Abercrombie, El Dorado Irrigation
District General Manager
E
l Dorado Irrigation District (EID) is a water
utility serving 110,000 residents in northern
California’s El Dorado County. EID provides
drinking water for homes, schools, and businesses and
recycled water to irrigate yards and landscapes. About
2 percent of EID’s customer base remains agricultural,
serving vineyards and orchards of apples, pears, and
peaches. EID also owns and manages outdoor recreation
sites, including Sly Park Recreation Area, which features
191 individual campsites and large group areas.
Much of EID’s water originates in the Sierra
Nevada Mountains at an elevation of 8,200 feet.
EID diverts some of that high mountain water
through tunnels to lower elevation reservoirs as part
of a well-integrated system to hedge against dry years.
That water delivery system comprises 1,295 miles of
pipeline, 50 miles of canals and ditches, 5 treatment
EID General Manager Jim Abercrombie
plants, 36 storage reservoirs, and 38 pump stations.
Two hundred pressure-regulating zones are required for
reliable operation. John Crotty: Please describe your work as general
EID holds some of the most senior water rights on manager of EID.
the American River, as well as a portfolio of rights
dating as far back as the 1800s. The project was Jim Abercrombie: I have typical general manager
originally built back in the 1920s to support hydropower responsibilities, but EID is different from a typical
generation and gold mining, and it subsequently irrigation district. EID began as an irrigation district, but
developed to water the region’s agricultural lands. now we have five business lines: water supply, wastewater
Housing developments exploded in the early 1990s, management, water recycling, recreation, and hydropower
and in the last 10 years, EID has added 20,000 new operations.
customers. So the district has had to transition from We supply 40,000 service accounts in El Dorado
agricultural to municipal and industrial (M&I) County, primarily along the Highway 50 corridor. We
delivery over a relatively short period of time. provide wastewater services to 20,000 accounts, and
At the helm of EID’s staff of 220 is Jim Abercrombie. provide recycled water in the El Dorado Hills area—not
Jim has more than 30 years of management experience, only for golf courses, but also for front and back yard
including 11 years as Amador Water Agency’s general landscaping. There is an incentive for developers to
manager and 20 years at Pacific Gas and Electric provide grey water; they can build twice as many units
Company (PG&E). Prior to joining EID, he served as per water allocated to the development. EID employees
PG&E’s El Dorado County district manager. Irrigation verify that there are no cross connections and ensure that
Leader’s senior writer, John Crotty, spoke with Jim backflow prevention devices are working. That subjects
about the unique challenges of an urbanized district, his EID to a variety of regulatory bodies, including the
management philosophy, and his approach to planning California Department of Public Health and the Central
for the future. Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board.
John Crotty: How did you get your start in the water
business, and what brought you to EID?
28 Irrigation LeaderYou can also read
