Proposition 218 Rate Increase Approved: The Proposition 218 election to increase water assessments passed with 66.37% approval, representing a 2-to-1 margin of victory. This rate increase will raise assessments significantly - from $53 to $76 per acre for CID rate users, from $64 to $89 per acre for turf water users, and from $22 to $31 per acre for groundwater-only users. The district emphasized this increase is necessary to fund SGMA compliance, maintain operations, and construct infrastructure to capture an additional 100,000 acre-feet of water during flood years.
Water Deliveries Extended Through August 11th: The board approved continuing water deliveries for six more days (through August 11th) despite having only 13,000 acre-feet remaining in storage after temperature control requirements. This decision came after debate about whether to conserve the remaining water for potential sale or carryover versus serving growers who still need irrigation. The district has been stretching water supplies longer this year by running at lower flow rates, allowing growers to keep pumps off for 97 days instead of the typical 3-4 weeks.
Aggressive Recharge Basin Expansion Plan: The district is pursuing an aggressive infrastructure expansion plan focused on groundwater recharge basins to achieve SGMA compliance. Staff reported they need approximately 1,000 acres of recharge basins to capture 40,000 acre-feet annually during flood years, and they're currently 60% toward that goal. The district plans to acquire an additional 100 acres of land for basins and is considering a reverse auction approach where landowners make offers to sell suitable property.
The district has received $8 million in grants since 2020 ($6 million state, $2 million federal) and continues pursuing additional funding including Prop 4 money.
Board approved paying Kings River Water Association $269,773 for 2025 Pine Flat Dam operations and maintenance costs.
Four new staff positions may be added in 2026 - two field maintenance workers and two management positions to handle retirements and increased infrastructure.
The Operating Engineers Local Union No. 3 was decertified by employee vote, ending union representation at the district.
Current water storage stands at approximately 30,000 acre-feet with 14,300 acre-feet reserved for temperature control requirements.
Fresno Irrigation District shut down water deliveries a month early due to insufficient supplies, affecting loan tree deliveries.
The 2026 annual budget was approved incorporating the new rate structure and expanded operations budget.
A public commenter from the SGMA community educational program suggested the district consider crop conversion assistance and other water-saving methods beyond just recharge basins.
The next regular board meeting is Wednesday, September 10, 2025, at 1:00 P.M. following the CKGSA meeting. Growers can participate in meetings, review district newsletters for project updates, and contact the district office for questions about water operations or SGMA compliance efforts.
