By Don A. Wright
The Exchange Contractors board of directors met at its Los Banos headquarters and by telephone on Friday, November 6, 2026. I used to say I think I could write an Ex Con meeting report by just reading the agenda. I’ve been covering Ex Con for decades now and having the remote option helps since I’m not spending a day’s wages on gas and able to attend by phone. I’ve gone to so many I can recognize most of the voices. However, I no longer believe I could write an accurate report without attending the meeting. Ex Con has implemented some beneficial projects such as the Orestimba Creek, Los Banos Creek projects and is involved in the Del Puerto Canyon Dam project. Good for them.
The Meeting
The meeting began at 8:59am with CEO Chris White starting the self-introductions. This wasn’t one of the more densely attended Ex Con meetings but it was enough. The agenda and minutes were approved and consultant David Cory called in as well. The board then approved the expenditures of more than $11 million last month. The financial and budget reports were given by Marisol Bonilla Reynoso and she did such a good job the board approved. This included cash activity and budget comparisons.
Next the proposed 2027 draft budget was presented to the board. Chairman Chris Cardella noted there were some home boards that needed to approve. The budget presented was approved contingent on home board ratification, which should happen and if so the Ex Con board won’t have to deal with this item again until next year.
Water Report
Adam Hoffman was asked to give a good report and he said Ex Con demand is at 1,000 cfs and dropping. Storage at Lake Shasta is drawing down a little more than inflow is replacing so it’s slowly draining. San Luis Reservoir has declining demands and declining Delta pumping so it’s dropping only a little. Lake Millerton storage is flat with demands dropping significantly. Hoffman said everyone is waiting for the rain.
Delta inflow is down and federal pumping is at one unit after starting the beginning of October with all five units. It’s high tide time and there is more outflow to keep salinity out of the Delta under the El Nino conditions. Hoffman said the salinity is being kept at bay. The coastal areas have been hit with storms. There is no immediate precipitation expected in the first part of this month but there are some storms projected to form.
Exec Direct
White said you may recall a Senate bill that proposed funding for water was halted during the elections but they are keeping an eye on it during the lame duck portion of the session. He said work on Sac Dam is continuing.
He said Levi Johnson has left the USBR for HDR Engineering. He was the chief of the Central Valley Operations and integral to exports. The gentleman who replaced him passed away after one day in that position. This was tragic and there’s a bit of a scramble to get things up and running again. White said there is a brainstorming session coming up for the USBR, the Central Valley Project districts and engineering firms to get a better handle on allocations. This is coming up next Thursday. There is a planned visit to DC in December by Ex Con.
SGMA
Jarred Martin, General Manager of Central California Irrigation District spoke on SGMA matters. He said, if I understood correctly everything is moving along but there won’t be any big reveal before the first of the year.
White said the community grant awards are coming along well. Los Banos Creek grant funding is scheduled to arrive at the San Luis Delta Mendota Water Authority offices and that project will soon get some more money. CEQA should be settled by the end of the year as will budgeting for the Los Banos Creek project. High Speed Rail has a proposed route through Ex Con and there will be a meeting Monday, November 9th to discuss this. The question is obviously – why? Will anyone’s great grand children ride this thing?
Policy
Steve Chedester reported the Sac Dam project is moving along. John Weirsma, GM San Luis Canal Company said the fish screens are taking shape and it looks good. Chedester’s reports are often a bit hard to hear with papers shuffling around. He said the Water Blueprint’s Unified Water Plan is out and that is good news.
Chedester asked Martin to report on the water resources plan and Martin said they are waiting for PG&E to hook up a well. Bless PG&E’s heart. There was nothing new to report on the Orestimba Creek project. Golden mussels are a problem but they are dealing with the little boogers. There is some capture of the veligers through a filtering process. This is
being monitored. I believe the water temperatures are too low for reproduction until next spring.
Gov’t Mischief
Next Cory reported the CV Salts Program has three pilot areas chosen on the belief they have the greatest chance of increased salinity over the next 100 years. The first goal is to determine the magnitude of the problem and how to best treat the salt; reverse osmosis, evaporation ponds or something else. Once this is established there is still the question of feasibility and financing. It’s not going to be cheap is a good bet. How will this be implemented? – is the next question that needs to be answered.
The Valley Water Collaborative is looking at the nitrate management zone plan. This will go a long ways to establishing what regulatory framework will be enacted. Cory said this is a very thick document. He said there is significant uncertainty at this time.
Legislative Report
It was a tough election for Republicans as most of us know. White said the package contains a pre and post election review by the consultants but there will be an updated review. It was noted Brian Pacheco and Melissa Hurtado won their races on the state side.
On the federal side there were some surprises. Although there were some changes expected – not to the degree experienced. There are a lot of things at play, not the least funding for projects. Congressman David Valadao did not win reelection and there are many projects and goals he’s been involved in.
Legal Report
Andy McClure of the Manasian Law Firm reported the Sierra Club challenged the Del Puerto Dam but that should be resolved soon. There’s a SGMA lawsuit has dragged on over a Groundwater Sustainability Plan. If I recall correctly an NGO sued over a GSP that was withdrawn and rewritten. The GSP under suit no longer exists. An illustration of why you don’t want to get caught in the cogs of the judicial system.
The Bay Delta Plan update was adopted by the State Water Resources Control Board. The HRL, healthy rivers and landscapes plan previously known as the Voluntary Agreement is the alternative to the unimpaired flows. This was widely viewed as a bummer by the water community and if I understood we can expect litigation.
Four Managers’ Report
Mike Garner GM, Columbia Canal Company said his district is delivering just slightly more than average cfs. His district is shutting down this month to complete about three miles of concrete lining and he has high hopes.
Jeff Bryant, GM Firebaugh Canal Water District said there is some pre-irrigation taking place and a part of the system has been shutdown for repair and maintenance. He expects the entire system will be down by Thanksgiving. They are replacing three transformers
from the Miller & Lux era. I didn’t know they had electrical access back in those days. He said they are spending time and money on security. Electrical infrastructure has been burgled, including the theft of copper wire from one of the Miller & Lux transformers. They might show up in a museum if they have the M&L brand on them.
Wiersma reported SLCC is shutting down November 16th for canal lining and a couple of weir adjustments. He was a bit envious it sounded like, one of the other district’s got the construction bid tied up. But they soldier on.
Martin reported CCID is also working on canal lining.
Informational & Closed Session
Ex Con wants to change its meeting date in January 2027 to the 8th and in February the board meeting will be on February 3rd 2027 and the board agreed.
White said the DC trip and an ACWA conference are coming up soon. Later this month Dr. Tim Petty of NOAA will be coming to the area and he wants to meet. He’s a good guy.
With that Cardella called it at 9:56am and things went into closed session for seven items. So that was that in Los Banos. Go be good to yourselves and others.
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SAN JOAQUIN RIVER EXCHANGE CONTRACTORS WATER AUTHORITY
Main Office: 541 H Street, P.O. Box 2115 Los Banos, CA 93653 Office 209/827-8616 www.sjrecwa.net Email: contactus@sjrecwa.net
DWR SGMA Identifier #5-022.07
The Exchange Contractors cover almost a quarter of a million acres in Fresno, Madera, Merced and Stanislaus Counties.
Mission Statement
The Exchange Contractors Water Authority mission is to effectively protect the Exchange Contract and maximize local water supply, flexibility and redundancy in order to maintain local control over the members’ water supply.
Board
Chris Cardella -Chair Columbia Canal Company, Mike Stearns-Vice Chair Director Firebaugh Canal Water District, Cannon Michael-Treasurer San Luis Canal Company, Eric Fontana- Director Central California Irrigation District
Staff
Chris White-Executive Director, Steve Chedester- Director Policies & Programs, Adam Hoffman-Water Resources Specialist, Joann White-Director Finance and Human Resources, Marisol Bonilla Reynoso – Administrative Assistant, Andy McClure-Attorney Minasian Law Firm.
History
From the Exchange Contractors’ website: www.sjrecwa.net The San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors hold some of the oldest water rights in the state, dating back to the late 1800s. The rights were established by Henry Miller of the legendary Miller and Lux cattle empire. In 1871, Henry Miller constructed canals to divert water from the San Joaquin and North Fork of the Kings Rivers for irrigation of his vast acreage. Today, several of the original Miller and Lux canals are operated by the Exchange Contractors.
Although Henry Miller’s canals served the irrigation needs of his estate in the western portion of Fresno, Madera, Merced, and Stanislaus counties, in order for more growth on the east side of the San Joaquin Valley to occur, more water was needed. In 1933, the United States Department of Interior undertook the Central Valley Project, a vast undertaking to build dams throughout the great Central Valley including the Sacramento, American and San Joaquin Rivers. When construction of the Friant Dam (north of Fresno) was under consideration, feasibility studies showed that irrigation development of the Friant Project between Chowchilla and Bakersfield depended upon water being diverted from the San Joaquin River at Friant Dam and brought to the east side of the valley, via the Friant-Kern Canal.
To accomplish this, the government asked the heirs of Miller and Lux to agree to “exchange” where they receive their pre-1914 appropriative and riparian water from the San Joaquin and Kings Rivers for guaranteed deliveries of “substitute” water from the Sacramento River by means of the Delta-Mendota Canal and other facilities of the United States. This agreement, known as the “Exchange Contract,” along with the accompanying “Purchase Contract,” were reached in 1939 and that led to the name “San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors.” In normal years, the Exchange Contractors are guaranteed 100% of their contractual water allotment (840,000 acre feet) and in critical years the amount is 75% (650,000 a/f).
The Exchange Contractors, however, did not abandon their San Joaquin River water rights. Instead, they agreed not to exercise those San Joaquin and Kings Rivers’ water rights if guaranteed water deliveries continued through the Delta-Mendota Canal or other facilities of the United States.
