Valley-L.A. water deal may be in works
West-side farmers look to swap this year's surplus for additional supplies next season.
Mark Grossi
Fresno Bee
07/26/2010
Drawn together by water losses due to drought and endangered species protections, two fierce competitors for California's water are trying to cut a rare deal.
If it works, west Valley farmers soon will send water to Southern California cities for use this summer and fall. In return, the farmers next summer would get some water usually reserved for 19 million people in Metropolitan Water District.
The extra farm water this summer comes from Westlands Water District, where growers planned for less production this year in anticipation of cutbacks. Thanks to a wet year, growers got more water than they expected -- more than they can use.
If they don't make the deal with Southern California, farmers could wind up losing the water under government rules for storage at San Luis Reservoir.
Nobody remembers San Joaquin Valley farmers and big cities cooperating this way. Though it still must be approved by government agencies and the boards of both water districts, the deal is evidence of a growing relationship between Westlands and Metropolitan.
The two districts often have found themselves competing for water on the open market, especially during dry years. But the districts have a common problem that will extend far beyond the drought -- water cutbacks to protect dwindling fish species at the sensitive Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
The cutbacks can be unpredictable, but both Westlands and Metropolitan rely on delta water. So they are learning to help each other with the water that is available.
"It's a new cooperation out of necessity," said general manager Jeffrey Kightlinger for Metropolitan. "We really need to work together."
Here's how the deal would work: Westlands would send 50,000 to 100,000 acre-feet to Metropolitan, delivering it through the California Aqueduct. That is less than 10% of Westlands' federal contract allotment. One acre-foot is an 18-month supply for an average family in Southern California.
Next summer, Westlands would receive two acre-feet of water for every three acre-feet that it sends to Southern California. In other words, the farmers would give up one-third of their water to make the deal.
Why? Metropolitan can drive a hard bargain because Westlands stands a good chance of losing all the extra water if it stays in San Luis Reservoir in western Merced County.
If the reservoir fills up, which seems likely this year, federal officials will need the space in San Luis to keep the water for all of its customers. By contract, the bureau is allowed to legally take the Westlands water because it is occupying space in the reservoir. "We can't use it now, and we don't want to lose all of it," Westlands spokeswoman Sarah Woolf said.
During the three previous dry years, Westlands was able to keep some holdover water from the year before because there was room in the reservoir.
Earlier this year, there was little chance Westlands farmers could have planned for a wet season. In February, they were told they would only get 5% of the water they wanted to buy. In response, farmers cut back planting many thousands of acres.
But storms provided above-average snow and rain through the winter and spring. In March, federal officials increased the delivery estimate to 25%. By June, the number grew to 45%.
