1. Board Approves District's First Subsurface Recharge Project at Schuster Pit (just over $800K) The board approved a cost proposal from LIDCO to construct a 100-acre subsurface recharge facility west of Highway 43, split into three 35-acre phases, each served by its own turnout at approximately 2,000 GPM. At roughly $8,000/acre, this is significantly cheaper than conventional surface spreading (~$30,000–$35,000/acre). The project doubles as a pilot to test different lateral depths and spacings — data the district intends to share with growers considering building their own subsurface recharge systems. Prevailing wage and Buy America requirements account for much of the cost premium over private installations (~$3,000–$4,000/acre historically). The project is partially funded by a Bureau of Reclamation grant (up to $1.5M, 50% cost match).
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