Friant Water Authority Takes Action to Support Temperance Flat

An Action Plan for the Future of Temperance Flat

In an action designed to expedite the steps necessary to approve and initiate the construction of Temperance Flat Dam, the Friant Water Authority (FWA) Board of Directors approved the creation of special activities agreement to fund work necessary for completing feasibility, engineering and other analysis to help potential investors determine the feasibility of participation. The work is estimated to cost approximately $1 million per year for the next 2 years. This important work will be done in parallel with work FWA has already started to develop appropriate entity that will be required for the implementation of construction and operation of the new reservoir. This entity will be governed by the investing agencies for the project and should be up and operating by the beginning of 2018.

What’s at Stake

Millions of Californians south of the Delta are dependent upon Central Valley Project water to serve their agricultural, municipal, industrial, and environmental needs. Increasing regulatory burden has diminished the capability of the Central Valley Project to consistently meet its authorized project purposes. The reduction in surface water deliveries has resulted in greater dependence upon groundwater, overdraft of aquifers, subsidence that has harmed infrastructure, and additional hardships, especially for rural disadvantaged communities. In addition, full implementation of the state’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act will create an untenable water supply situation for many water users.

Recognizing that Temperance Flat Reservoir can contribute to providing relief from these challenges, the FWA is collaborating with the San Joaquin Valley Water Infrastructure Authority, San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors Water Authority, and San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority to develop equitable, mutually beneficial solutions to help address the diminishing water supplies and regulatory burdens facing our water users, and potentially others Statewide.  Also of critical importance, FWA is ensuring that the project would be implemented in a manner that fully protects water rights and contract deliveries for existing water users within the Friant Division of the Central Valley Project.

Working with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation the FWA and its partners expect to develop an operations plan and Proposition 1 Chapter 8 storage grant application. The operations plan would build upon previous Reclamation studies, and provide clarity to how any investor – including the State of California – will benefit from new investments in storage on the San Joaquin River.

Contact:
Media@friantwater.org

Friant Water Authority Seeking Maintenance Supervisor

Maintenance Supervisor

 The Friant Water Authority is seeking a candidate for a full time, permanent position, to perform construction project management; plan, direct, and coordinate maintenance activities; and provide department fiscal oversight for a major canal system and appurtenant facilities. Requires minimum of six years’ experience in construction management or construction and maintenance of irrigation infrastructure plus four years in a supervisory project management capacity. Salary Range: $64,002 - $81,685 per year DOQ plus excellent benefits (incl. health insurance, retirement plan, etc.). Position based in Lindsay, CA. Send resume including work related references and salary history to:

Friant Water Authority

854 N. Harvard Ave.

Lindsay, CA 93247

Phone: (559) 562-6305

Email: HR@friantwater.org

Closing date is October 31, 2017.

Friant Water Authority is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Friant Water Authority Adds Members, New Board Officers Take Positions

For Immediate Release:

January 26, 2017

Lindsay, Calif. – During its first Board of Directors meeting of the year today, the Friant Water Authority (FWA) approved the addition of two member districts, and welcomed three new officers to positions on the Board.

During the meeting, the Board approved membership agreements for Madera Irrigation District and Hills Valley Irrigation District. Both districts were previously members of FWA. Madera Irrigation District left the organization in 2015 during a period when the Friant Division was challenged by two consecutive years without a contract water supply allocation from the Bureau of Reclamation. With both districts rejoining, FWA now represents the largest portion of the Friant Division of any organization, both in terms of acreage and Central Valley Project contract water supplies. Madera Irrigation District includes 131,000 acres and 271,000 acre-feet of contract supply, and Hills Valley Irrigation District has 1,250 acre-feet of contract supply.

“Today’s Friant Water Authority is a very different organization from the one Madera Irrigation District voted to leave in 2015,” said James Erickson, Madera Irrigation District Board President. “Guided by Chief Executive Officer Jason Phillips, the Friant Water Authority Board and staff have made some tremendous improvements in how they conduct business, build relationships, and get results that benefit both our growers and the entire Friant Division. This was directly related to our decision to rejoin Friant.”

“We believe that Friant Water Authority has proved itself to be a good value for its members and the farmers and communities they represent, which is why our Board voted to come back,” said Loren Booth, Hills Valley Irrigation District Board President. In addition to the two districts rejoining, three Board members participated in the first meeting of 2017 in new leadership roles to which they were nominated during the Board’s December 9, 2016, meeting. Kent Stephens, of Kern-Tulare Water District, assumed the position of Chairman. Kent served as Vice Chairman in 2016. Chris Tantau, of Kaweah Delta Water Conservation District, now serves as Vice Chairman. Georgeanne White, of the City of Fresno and the designated alternate for Mayor Lee Brand, now serves as Secretary/Treasurer. These officers will hold their positions through the end of 2018.

“Last year, Friant Water Authority changed how we operated and worked to better integrate Friant Division farmers in oversight and decision-making,” said Kent Stephens, FWA Board Chair. “I’m honored by the confidence my fellow Board members and the Friant community have placed in me, and I’m excited about our plans for 2017 to build upon the successes of last year.”

Contact:
Alexandra Biering
916-628-0431
abiering@friantwater.org

FWA is a joint-powers authority formed in 2004 by a majority of the water agencies receiving water from the Friant Division of the Central Valley Project. Its primary purposes are to operate and maintain the Friant-Kern Canal and to serve the information and representation needs of its member agencies.