By Don A. Wright
The Glenn Colusa Irrigation District met at its headquarters in Willows and by telephone. Former Westlands Water District’s Thad Bettner has moved on from GCID where he served as General Manager since 2006 and Jeff Sutton has been selected to helm the ship. As of May 1st, Sutton is the new General Manager. He was the GM of the Tehama Colusa Canal Authority for 17-years. The TC Canal is kind of like Friant or San Luis Delta Mendota. It is part of the Central Valley Project providing surface water to 17 districts along its 130-mile length.
The GCID website has some additional information. Sutton’s family settled in Colusa County in 1870 and he is part of the fifth generation to live and work there. In addition to a law degree Sutton brings more than 25-years of professional experience in the world of California water.
Sutton has worked as the Executive Director of one of our favorite outfits the Family Farm Alliance. I’ve had the pleasure of attending a few TCCA meetings and seeing Sutton at ACWA and such so I can say this – he’s friendly, he’s been kind in answering my question without making me feel dumb and he is of an obviously high intellect as he usually laughs at my jokes. All of us at WaterWrights.net congratulate GCID and Sutton and hope they have a good run together.
The Meeting
The open session of the meeting began about 9:00am. The Microsnot Teams screen was on before order was called and you could hear the chatter, disjointed snips of conversation. More about that some time. The meeting began with a salute to the greatest flag on earth. Under public comment a few folks welcomed Sutton.
The bills were paid, the minutes approved and that knocked out the consent calendar. GCID’s board was asked to pay dues to the California Farm Water Coalition. There were comments by Chairman Don Bransford who felt the CFWC hadn’t included stories about the Sacramento Valley. (I know the feeling of not getting stories in the CFWC pipeline.) However, they said when contacted the CFWC head bull goose Mike Wade changed course and began including more than just the San Joaquin Valley.
I believe it was Bransford who pointed out CFWC isn’t political, its job is to educate people about where their food comes from. I believe Sutton is now on the CFWC board and that adds some more Sacramento to the mix. There were other comments like having Wade come visit more often and in general they like the organization and demonstrated that by reupping their membership.
Next the board discussed approval of comingling with Red Stick Farm, which has private water. Baton Rouge. The comingling is CVP supplies with private water. There are three wells on the Red Stick property that need to be monitored. This is a one year agreement so in the new world of SGMA things change and data is needed.
This was going to be a 10-year agreement and there is history between GCID and Red Stick. There was a comment – if GCID opens this up to comingling it best be ready to comingle with others. It appears there is policy in place that would allow that if the proper prerequisites are in place, like meters.
This being an average year and not a dry year there isn’t as much heartburn for a short term agreement. There is also the consideration of how this could impact annexation. There are folks who have wanted to join the district and have been on a waiting list for 20-years. The board approved.
Sites
One of the GCID Directors, I believe Logan Dennis has been serving on the Sites Reservoir Project board. If I understood Dennis wants Sutton to serve in that position and he’ll become the alternate director. The board approved. Sutton listed a half dozen or more positions he’s fulfilling and asked the board to consider his remaining in them. He’s still involved in Family Farm Alliance and he’s on an ACWA committee and so forth.
Lateral Moves
I believe it was a staff member who reported on Resolution No. 2024-05 approving O&M policy for district laterals. Staff is gathering petitions from landowners who fall into this
category and there will be a charge. Some of this goes way back. Who is responsible for paying for the lateral operations and maintenance. Sounded like a mixed bag. Who has title to the lateral, who has access? There were a couple of men in the room who apparently has some questions. The proposal was to charge a per acre fee to maintain the facility and again that raised questions.
Some of the impacted land doesn’t receive a lot of water from the lateral and the landowners understandably didn’t want to pay for more than the service received. One grower said GCID had been maintaining a ditch and then found out they were private. He said the growers had been paying the O&M all along until the district found out it didn’t have title and it quit providing O&M. The discussion went to specific locations and that got a bit difficult to follow. It sounded like the question of title and responsibility between the district and the landowners needs to be tightened up.
There was a motion to table this and let the O&M committee take a closer look at how to best serve the growers and still keep the district from stepping on a rake. There could be three property owners on one stretch of a lateral and if one of them doesn’t agree they can block supplies and or create liability if the district steps in. It’s back in the committee’s hands for now.
Measurements
The board considered review and approval of Davids Engineering water measurement software and meters. Staff said the O&M committee wants to move forward with this
proposal. He said it is a large change to the process. There is a lot of money in the form of grants for water measurement and board liked that. It was said it is more costly but more user friendly and should pay for itself in accuracy alone. Someone said if you can’t measure it you can’t manage it. Staff said there is enough work to get things set up that the district should commit before the hours are put in. Staff were instructed to come back with a budget and a plan to get in line for grant funding. So things are moving forward.
Administration
Next the maintenance report was given. There was some flood damage that has been repaired and other routine maintenance chores have been completed. Sounded like the district is ready to deliver water. Some thieves stole copper wire from one of the automated trash racks. There is a homeless/nomad camp up at Red Bluff near one of the water facilities that has been able to reduce theft and vandalism with a security system. I didn’t catch if that was cameras or what.
Flows in the district are increasing to 2,800 cfs on the main canal. That’s about as much as it can take without causing trouble. GCID, like every district has its challenges with distribution when starting the season. It seems like everyone wants water all at once or only a few and getting the right amount of liquid in a confined space through conveyance is why they get the big bucks. It sounded like the system will soon be completely charged and that’ll make things easier. There are many new employees besides just Sutton and
there was a meeting to help get folks up to speed. They put new folks with experienced hands and rotate that to spread the knowledge. The growers have given good feedback so far.
There could be up to an inch of rain this weekend and that will require plan B. Of the 28 water operators 16 are new. One of the maintenance workers was added to the ditch tenders rank for the time being. There are staff on call 24 hours a day to take calls if there is an emergency and someone said this information goes out by Mary-gram. Sutton asked what a Mary-gram is and I’m glad he did – it’s an email from Mary. There are water operators that have been on duty for 44 years and they are still on duty.
There was an O&M committee last week and there is still a district inventory underway by the engineering department. They are looking to hire two more employees in that department. Some new equipment is being deployed for flow design measuring.
Information
The manager’s report wasn’t probably as detailed as it will be next month but Sutton has been keeping tabs on Sites. There is a CEQA challenge of course and that should be resolved soon. Sutton said he hasn’t seen a fender bender sail through the court system this fast. ACWA is next week. There will be 17 scientists next Monday at Red Bluff to geek out over salmon and such. These guys are involved in the biological opinions so that’s important.
Under communications the newsletter is at the printers and presumably they are carving the stones as we speak so it should be going out next week.
Closed Session
The meeting went into closed session at 10:36am to discuss two pending cases of litigation and two existing cases of ongoing litigation. As lawsuits go four is a short agenda for most districts. Good for them. And good for you for reading this far. Go be kind to others and yourself.
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GLENN COLUSA ID – President John Amaro, Vice President Logan Dennis, Donald R. Bransford, Peter Knight and Blake Vann.
Staff: Jeff Sutton – General Manager, Zac Dickens – District Engineer, Kevin Nelson – Superintendent, Louis Jarvis – Finance Director, Andy Hitchings – Attorney Somach, Simons & Dunn.
GCID
344 East Laurel Street
Willows, CA 95988
530/934-8881
contact@gcid.net
DWR SGMA # 5-021.52
From the GCID website: Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District (GCID) is dedicated to providing reliable, affordable water supplies to its landowners and water users, while ensuring the environmental and economic viability of the region. As the largest irrigation district in the Sacramento Valley, GCID has a long history of serving farmers and the agricultural community and maintaining critical wildlife habitat. The District fulfills its mission of efficiently and effectively managing and delivering water through an ever-improving delivery system and responsible policies, while maintaining a deep commitment to sustainable practices. Looking ahead, GCID will remain focused on continuing to deliver a reliable and sustainable water supply by positioning itself to respond proactively, strategically and responsibly to California’s ever-changing water landscape.
