Semitropic Water Storage District seeks $452 million of Prop 1 funds for project that would jeopardize groundwater sustainability and “human right to water” in disadvantaged communities, lacks water right or entitlement to the water they seek to export
FRESNO – More than 40 local governments, elected officials, water districts, and small business leaders from Fresno, Kings, and Tulare counties have formally announced their opposition to a proposal from Semitropic Water Storage District known as the “Tulare Lake Storage & Floodwater Protection Project.”
The Semitropic project proposes to use the California Aqueduct to transfer naturally occurring water supply from the Kings Sub-Basin, one of the most critically overdrafted inthe State, to the Kern County groundwater sub-basin – even though the State Water Resources Control Board has determined that the Kings River is fully-appropriated, and despite the fact that Semitropic has no right or license to the fully-appropriated waters of the Kings River.
Semitropic is requesting $452 million of Water Storage Investment Project (WSIP) funds to cover 75% of their $602 million project by using money from Proposition 1.
At least 40 letters of opposition to the project were submitted to the California Water Commission prior to today’s hearing in Sacramento. (See list further below.)
Representatives from a number of the project’s opponents testified at the Water Commission hearing, citing their major concerns with Semitropic’s proposal:
“By exporting water from critically over-drafted groundwater sub-basins, the Semitropic project would severely impact the ability of the Kings and Tulare sub-basins and its seven Groundwater Sustainability Agencies to comply with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.” – Mark McKean, Field Crops Commodity Chairman, Fresno County Farm Bureau
“Fresno County, Kings County, Tulare County, and numerous cities within the counties, along with the Alta Irrigation District, Consolidated Irrigation District, Fresno Irrigation District, Kings River Water Association, Kings River Conservation District, and others that would be directly impacted by this project are all opposed to Semitropic’s Prop. 1 funding application.” – Craig Pedersen, Supervisor, Kings County
“Depriving disadvantaged and severely disadvantaged communities of access to water and jeopardizing long-term sustainability – communities which already disproportionately suffer from poverty, high unemployment, asthma and heart disease, as well as air and water pollution – will only make already-difficult circumstances worse and threaten ‘the human right to water.’” –Ruby Dhaliwal, Mayor, City of San Joaquin
“Semitropic does not have a water right or entitlement to the water they are seeking to take from the Kings River in their Prop 1 funding request, does not have any conveyance means or right to move Kings River waters to its project site, and its project site lacks capacity to hold water without using the California Aqueduct, which State Law prohibits in this situation.” – Steve Haugen, Watermaster, Kings River Water Association
Formal letters of opposition have been submitted by the following:
Alpaugh Irrigation District
Alta Irrigation District
Assemblyman Jim Patterson
Burrel Ditch Company
City of Fowler
City of Reedley
City of Sanger
City of Selma
Consolidated Irrigation District
Corcoran Irrigation District
Crescent Canal Company
County of Kings Board of Supervisors
County of Tulare
Cutler Public Utility District
El Rico Groundwater Sustainability Agency
Enzo Olive Oil Company
Farmers Water District
Fresno County Board of Supervisors
Fresno Irrigation District
James Irrigation District
Kings Basin Water Authority
Kings County Farm Bureau
Kings River East Water Sustainability District
Kings River Water Association
Laguna Irrigation District
Last Chance Water Ditch Company
Liberty Canal Company
Liberty Millrace Company
London Community Services District
Mayor of the City of Fresno
Mid-Kings River Groundwater Sustainability Agency
North Fork Kings Groundwater Sustainability Agency
North Kings Groundwater Sustainability Agency
Orosi Public Utility District
P-R Farms
Palomate Packing Company, Incorporated
Peoples Ditch Company
Raisin City Water District
Reed Ditch Company
Riverdale Irrigation District
Somach Simmons & Dunn
Stone Land Company
Stratford Ranch
Tranquility Irrigation District
Tulare Lake Basin Water Storage District
Upper San Jose Water Company