6.7 Transfers and Exchanges
Law
10631(c) Describe the opportunities for exchanges or transfers of water on a short-term or long- term basis.
In addition to developing IRWD’s local groundwater and recycled water systems, IRWD has diversified its water supply by developing water banking projects in Kern County, California. Over the past 30 years, local water districts in Kern County have been on the forefront of developing groundwater banking programs that are mutually beneficial to all participating agencies. IRWD has constructed a fully operational water banking program that makes it possible for IRWD and its banking partners to store excess water during “wet” hydrologic periods. The stored water is then available for use during “dry” periods to offset reduced water supplies under periods of severe drought or periods of supply interruptions. IRWD has constructed the Strand Ranch Integrated Banking Project and the Stockdale Integrated Banking Project (collectively known as the Water Bank). IRWD’s Water Bank properties are situated on groundwater recharge lands that overlie the regional Kern County groundwater basin. The Water Bank facilities provide IRWD with the ability to respond to drought conditions and other potential water supply interruptions when normal supplies may be reduced. To operate its Water Bank, IRWD has entered into a 30-year water banking partnership with the Rosedale-Rio Bravo Water Storage District (Rosedale) in Kern County. IRWD’s partnership with Rosedale provides long-term equity ownership of water banking capacity rather than typical contract or lease arrangements employed by most other agencies. In addition, IRWD and Rosedale, as members of the Groundwater Banking Joint Powers Authority (GBJPA) are constructing new water banking facilities as part of the Kern Fan Project. Through the Water Bank facilities and agreements, IRWD has developed 126,000 AF of storage capacity, 44,600 AF of recharge capacity and 28,750 AF of recovery capacity. IRWD also has 25,000 AF of storage capacity, 15,000 AF of recharge capacity and 7,200 AF of recovery capacity in the initial Kern Fan Project facilities and is in the process of developing more. IRWD has a Coordinated Operating and Water Exchange Agreement with Metropolitan and MWDOC which allows IRWD to have SWP water recovered from the Water Bank delivered to IRWD’s service area. In 2014, IRWD and Metropolitan entered into an agreement for transferring non-SWP water into IRWD’s service area. Under this agreement, in 2015, IRWD recovered and delivered 1,000 AF of its non-SWP water to its service area. This water was used in July 1, 2015 through February 2016, during the drought as an extraordinary supply to supplement reduced imported supplies during Metropolitan’s water supply allocation. IRWD is also a landowner in the Dudley Ridge Water District (DRWD), a SWP Contractor, and has the rights to the use of up to 1,754 AFY of SWP Table A Water. Additionally, the land acquisition included certain participation rights in the Kern Water Bank to store approximately 9,500 AF of water. Through an unbalanced exchange program with DRWD and approvals from Metropolitan and DWR, IRWD is able to take delivery of its SWP Table A Water at its water banking facilities and can deliver half of this water to IRWD’s service area.
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IRWD – 2025 Urban Water Management Plan
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