Kern County Water Agency – Know & Tell Josh, Jason, & Juy

Water Sources External  State Water Project (31%)  Central Valley Project (Federal Bureau of Reclamation) (12%) Local  Kern River (22%)  Groundwater (35%)

State Water Project Deliveries via California Aqueduct  Delivers over 10,670 cfs 5.2 Billion spent as of 2001 on SWP Share of costs based on geography Water Agency has 2 nd biggest share

Central Valley Project Federal Project run by the Bureau of Reclamation Friant Division transports surplus Northern California water through the southern part of the central valley Friant Kern Canal moves water from the Central Valley Project to the Kern River

Kern County Water Agency Local Government Special District (not part of Kern County, although they do get to approve our budget ) Formed by a special act by State Legislature and approved by County Voters in 1961 Mission: Assure adequate, reliable, and affordable water supplies are available for beneficial use by the people, economy, and the lands of Kern County

Kern County Water Agency See org Chart Departments primarily involved in “Marketing” of water:  Water Resources  Cross Valley Canal (CVC)  Improvement District No. 4 (ID4)

Water Resources Takes orders from member units and makes requests for water to SWP and CVP Keeps Track of Water member units have in “bank accounts” Tries to forecast demand Lobbies at the State and Federal level to keep water supplies safe

Improvement District No. 4 Supplies supplemental water supply to the Urban Bakersfield area Includes the Henry C. Garnett Water Purification Plant that treats water from the Kern River, Banking Projects, SWP, FK Canal 40 million gallon-per-day serves 1/5 of residents of Metropolitan Bakersfield

Cross Valley Canal Delivers water that has been treated at the purification plant to member units 21 miles long and delivers up to 920 cubic- feet of water per second Shut-down currently in order to increase canal capacity

Groundwater Banking Process of storing water in the ground during wet years and pumping it up during dry ones Water Resoruces and ID4 both track this Local Banking Projects  Pioneer Project  Berrenda Mesa Water District  Kern Water Bank  City of Bakersfield 2800 Acres

Gravel Pack Water Table Ingredients for a Successful Groundwater Banking and Recovery Program SOILS, GEOLOGY, GOOD WATER QUALITY MULTIPLE WATER SUPPLIES FACILITY INFRASTRUCTURE LOCAL MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORT

What Are Member Units Primarily government entities that administer water rights on behalf of their land owners:  Belridge Water Storage District  Berrenda Mesa Water District  Buena Vista Water Storage District  Cawelo Water District  Henry Miller Water District  Kern Delta Water District  Lost Hills Water District  Rosedale-Rio Bravo Water Storage District  Semitropic Water Storage District  Tehachapi-Cummings County Water District  Tejon-Castac Water District  West Kern Water District  Wheeler Ridge-Maricopa Water Storage District

Cost of Water Primary costs of water involve distribution and purification Capital costs (Fixed Costs) involved in the construction of conveyance facilities such as canals, pumps, reservoirs, wells, etc. Power costs (Variable Costs) to pump water through conveyance facilities Availability of Water (its more expensive during dry years) Cost of treating water

What does this mean? Further south you are = more money Each pump, turnout, and piece of equipment that must be operated in order to get water to you adds to the price you pay for water State Water Project is the largest wholesale user of electricity in the state Metropolitan Water District (provides water for Southern California) pays the most for water, the Kern County Water Agency has the next highest costs

How Costs Flow (water pun intended) Land Owner Member Unit Kern County Water Agency SWP / CVP

What does KCWA do to keep costs down? Better forecasting Audits of other government Agencies involved Better infrastructure and conveyance Better treatment facilities Construction of Solar Photovoltaic Project to serve as hedge against rising energy prices Lobbying to protect important sources of water such as the Sacramento Delta Engage legislative analysts to warn of any potential legal threats Water Education to encourage people to use water wisely

Questions?