The board approved a temporary emergency stormwater discharge agreement with Manteca, including reserving 16 acre-feet per year for the Tara Park school sites drainage needs. Lobbyists said wildfire liability reforms did not pass, and PG&E later said it would defer $2 billion in capital spending. AB 2026 was held again, and the governor may extend or issue an executive order for winter diversions.
Staff reported progress on reopening the canyon tunnel, with the engineering team leading active work on both portals. Terra Park drainage talks with MUSD and the City of Manteca are advanced and may reach the board within the next one or two meetings ahead of rainy season. The board adopted the encroachment policy (Res. 26-27-Y) and amended it to allow earth removal within district easements by permit rather than an outright ban.
Staff noted harvest season is causing schedule adjustments for irrigation delivery, and growers were asked for patience during this period. Board approved shotline mix ($791,404.38) plus up to $40,000 for a concrete pump rental, within the existing $1.86M pipelining budget (~20,000 ft). Multiple board members noted that irrigation water quality has been notably clean this season, crediting the spray department and division managers.
The district's 2025 audit received a clean opinion, but irrigation operations show a ~$4M annual loss, prompting discussion of future rate and non-rate revenue options. An ~$800K fraudulent disbursement tied to a vendor bank info change led to strengthened internal controls. The board discussed a dual-engine vacuum truck (~$806K) amid upcoming CARB regulation changes; no purchase was approved.
The board approved a 2027 irrigation rate increase, setting fixed charges at $65/acre and volumetric rates at $10.75–$18.25/acre-foot. A motion to freeze volumetric rates at 2026 levels was also approved (3–2), though the final staff-recommended rate schedule then passed (4–1). An emergency water conveyance agreement for Circle JM was ratified, capped at 100 acre-feet over six weeks. The board also authorized a ~$4M flow meter program.
