The Fresno Irrigation District held its board of directors meeting at its Fresno headquarters on Thursday, March 10, 2022. It is a live and in person meeting. I was a little late because unfortunately the homeless problem has become so great FID has to lock its gates and one must wonder around back to get in through the equipment gate.
The Meeting
The meeting began with President Ryan Jacobsen calling it to order. Like I said I was a little late but I’ll bet you a dollar Jacobsen called it at the scheduled 3:00pm on the dot. And then everyone saluted the flag of our great nation.
Water Report
Assistant GM Adam Claes gave his report saying he was recently on a call that stated the months of January and February 2022 were the driest on record. The March 1st percent of average is only 61 percent precipitation in California. Every week without precipitation lowers that average by four to six points. Of the 500,000 a/f of storage space at Millerton Lake there is only at 280,000 a/f. Friant is holding at 15 percent of Class I allocations for now. The State Water Project is also at 15 percent. CVP south of Delta is at zero percent allocation. Claes said 2020, 2021 and now 2022 are amongst the driest on record. Precipitation in the San Joaquin River and the Kings River watersheds are about the same the vast majority of years. FID gets water from both, so it’s able to fret twice as much as most districts as both are below average. The good news, well for FID anyway, is its share of the Kings River is actually higher when the runoff is slow. Still, half a gallon isn’t as good as a quarter of an acre foot.
Engineering
Engineer Lawrence Kimura gave his report saying there have been a few development projects FID is reviewing. There isn’t much taking place under Capital Improvement Projects. One hiccup that could turn into a blech is one of the excavating contractors isn’t sure if he’ll be able to complete his contract due to the spike in fuel prices. How much more of this until we start back producing our own fuel?
Kimura said High on Speed Rail doesn’t have much to report. Work continues on developing recharge basins, I guess if they can afford the diesel. There is a lot of work on the canals. Some of the canals are being piped and there is a new wrap required on FID pipe joints. He said we’ll know how well it works in about 20-years because that is the reason, to extend the life of joint seal.
There is an old channel at the northern end of the district that is being eaten up by urban development and in this case a solar farm. The City of Fresno asked FID to give it a quit claim to the property and the board agreed.
Another merging with urban matters is the City of Clovis’ desire to expand its urban trail system. Kimura said there is no timeline to finish this. An agreement has been drawn up and as I recall it’s more than 40 pages long.* I didn’t read it in detail but most of it was about Clovis indemnifying FID from all manner of things from folks falling in and hurting themselves or God forbid drowning to homeless encampments. I’ve lived in Clovis at least half my life and I can’t picture a homeless camp along its trails.
Kimura said there is also a memorandum of interpretation that goes even further into the future. Attorney Jeff Boswell said Clovis has already signed. He also wrote most of it. Jacobsen thanked Boswell and staff for the monumental amount of work that went into this. Director Jerry Prieto moved to accept and the board voted for it. Stretch said this is a good deal for FID as it really cuts down on the district having to deal with the homeless problem in general and Clovis will provide signage to document FID’s contributions to the trail users.
Special Projects
Kassy Chauhan reported the electric vehicle recharging station is about to launch. Who knows where that will lead but it may end up being a very good, forward looking project for the district. Chauhan showed the board an example of new signage that will go up at FID recharge basins.
The big, in my opinion, news Chauhan shared was the district’s new rules and regulations booklet will be distributed soon. That’s a lot of work and it’s been a while since the R&R book has been updated. It will be printed in English, Hmong, Punjab and Spanish. Chauhan said FID will partner with Cal Poly for help on upgrading its SCADA system. Director Prieto helpful suggested I be give a non-English copy for review. That’ll be a fun venture into
what I hope is an English/Spanish Dictionary since I already have one. I’m getting right on that soon as I finish shaving the hair on my back with a rusty cheese grater.
The Stream Group, a group of entities involved with the seasonal creek flows coming down from the Sierra Nevada has hired Austin Ewell to help secure some funds from the feds. There is also some DWR money that could go towards the Big Dry Creek Basin.
Construction & Maintenance
Claes said some years crews have trouble getting the work completed on canals between delivery seasons. That was not a problem this year. One of the common maintenance challenges is to clear slit, sand and debris from under bridges. Someone on staff came up with a really good idea. There are walk behind Bobcats that can squeeze into the restricted space in the culverts and move enough dirt to get things going. They had photos and it was pretty interesting. Claes showed many other photos of different projects like lining the canals and constructing new box culverts. He said there have been many opportunities to give newer and younger employees experience.
Director George Porter asked if the longer maintenance and construction time has hurt the budget. Claes said yes but the increasing cost of materials has been a much harder hit on the bank account. He also said last year there was almost a million miles put on district vehicles and that won’t happen this year and that will save at the pump.
SGMA
Chauhan said the Kings Basin GSP was ruled incomplete by DWR. On top of that the annual report is due at the end of this month. She said there was a very encouraging call yesterday with DWR about grant money coming in. DWR pointed out the application itself was extremely well written. Chauhan said Provost & Pritchard wrote the application. She said, if I understood correctly, a check will be in the mail in record time and will be shipped 20-mule team from Santa Clarita.
FID sits in the North Kings GSA and Kyle Moeller from Fowler Packing is now the director for Seat 7. Some good news for Biola, Cruz Ramos is the new manager of the Biola Utilities District. Ramos brings a lifetime of experience and knowledge to this position. Good for her and good for Biola.
Gov’t & External Affairs
Chauhan reported a flyer has been developed urging growers to use as much surface water as they can. Stretch pointed out the board developing the message was a heavy lift and commended Chauhan for dragging this project across the finish line. The message was not to do away with drip but to keep the flood irrigation option on the table for wet years. The goal is to get more on farm recharge.
Under regulatory affairs it was reveled the State Board has been jacking its fees up 15 percent a year and there is a push for an audit. The Kings River Water Association is wading through more than 1,000 bills to determine what fresh hell is coming out of the California Department of Everything is a Big Hairy Problem.
Chauhan said there is a meeting on the push to alter water rights in California taking place somewhere locally this evening. It is populated by folks who don’t necessary hold most farmers’ view on rights being inalienable verses privileges granted by government. I found out later it was local outreach on the 11 point plan to take away rights being pushed by the NGO Planning & Conservation League.
In Other News
The board supported the nomination of Chris Kapheim for an ACWA seat. HR Director September Singh updated the board on Sino Cooties matters in California and two super models FID O&M crew showed up wearing the new FID gray shirts with the logo. Matching hats were issued as well. They looked good the board said.
GM Report
Stretch said he went to a special KRWA meeting that was all in closed session. So, more about that in closed session. He said he just got an email from the State Water Resources Out of Control Board saying the same Hearing Officer covering the Kings River reappropriation will be covering the McMullin Area GSA filing on Kings River water.
Stretch said most of the last Friant meeting was about the repairs on the Friant Kern Canal and Johnny Amaral is now the COO as well as directing the regulatory and government affairs.
Stretch said he and Claes have been meeting with James ID about possibly partnering on some projects. He said this partnering between agencies is becoming more common. He said the small districts east of FID, Garfield and International WDs are interested in looking at cooperating on projects. He also said there have been changes at the City of Fresno. Georgeann White is now City Manager and Brock Buche may become the new head of PUDs at the city.
Stretch said there is a district that has ties back to Moses Church’s canals. Near FID’s headgates on the Kings River there is the Free Water District. Boswell said back in the day meaning the 1800s, Moses Church told the Free Water folks he wanted their headgate. They said Ok but you have to give us diversions. Church agreed and that’s why FID is involved, the headgates now belong to FID. Boswell explained it to me further but right about then they went into closed session and I had to get out there at 5:00pm. So, I don’t recall everything he said about the railroad commission of 1890 something. The man knows his history.
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*Today’s agenda packet was more than 180 pages long.
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Fresno Irrigation District – The Fresno Irrigation District is located at 2907 So. Maple Avenue, Fresno CA 93725 phone 559/233-7161 and meets at 4:00pm on the third Tuesday of the month at district headquarters. FID is part of the North Kings GSA DWR # 5-022.08
Board
Ryan Jacobsen – President, Jerry Prieto – Vice President, Greg Beberian, Christopher Woolf & George Porter
Staff
Bill Stretch: General Manager
Adam Claes – Assistant General Manager – Operations
September Singh – Assistant General Manager – Administration
Laurence Kimura – Chief Engineer (you had him nailed down good)
Jeff Boswell – In-house Legal Counsel
Jim Irwin – Water Master
David Burrows – Water Master In Training
Michael Prestridge – Superintendent of Construction & Maintenance
DeAnn Hailey – Controller
Kassy Chauhan – Special Projects Manager/North Kings GSA Executive Officer
