District welcomed a new Operations Manager with existing leadership transitioning to a support role. Board approved purchasing 2,700 acre-feet of water at $450/acre-foot through the MA-2 program using available reserves, with letters sent to growers offering direct purchase opportunities. District expects maximum carryover and receiving an additional 13,000-16,000 acre-feet through transfer agreements—representing approximately 60% above base allocation.
The board approved a 5-year contract for weather forecasting services to improve water management decisions. They also authorized a major pipeline relocation project at Highway 43, for which Caltrans funds over $2 million. Additionally, they approved hiring a replacement for the retiring Operations Manager with a planned 9-10 month overlap period to ensure knowledge transfer of over 4 decades of institutional experience.
The district received a 2024 audit showing strong financials, working to improve bookkeeping practices as auditors made accounting adjustments. Water accounting with the Bureau of Reclamation caused billing confusion, including $750,000 in untracked deliveries, which have now been resolved. The district achieved major cost savings by renegotiating agreement with San Luis Delta-Mendota Water Authority, reducing payment obligations from 40% to 31-33% and reducing unfair project costs.
