Prop 50 Round 2 IRWM Implementation Grant

Introduction

The Water Security, Clean Drinking Water, Coastal and Beach Protection Act (Proposition 50) was passed by California voters in November of 2002. Chapter 8 of the Act established the Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) Program, which is intended to promote integrated management of regional water resources to ensure sustainable water uses, reliable water supplies, better water quality, environmental stewardship, efficient urban development, protection of agriculture, and a strong economy in the State of California.

The Proposition 50 IRWM Program was jointly administered by the California Department of Water Resources (CDWR) and the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). To be eligible for IRWM grant funding through Prop 50, water resource managers throughout the State were asked to form geopolitical planning regions based on watershed boundaries and on overlapping water resource management issues, and to involve stakeholders in integrating water supply, water quality, ecosystem, and flood control issues into their water resources planning and projects.

In accordance with the IRWM Program, the Kings Basin Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (IRWMP) was developed by a collection of Kings Basin agencies, stakeholders and individuals to improve coordination and collaboration on regional water management. The IRWMP for the Kings Basin Water Authority (Authority) was originally prepared under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in 2007, and updated in 2012 under a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) to satisfy new State standards for IRWMPs.

Both versions of the IRWMP contain a Project List in which projects are identified based on the primary IRWMP Regional Goals (RGs) and Management Objectives (MOs) that they are designed to meet. The Kings Basin projects funded under the Proposition 50 Round 2 IRWM Implementation Grant Program were considered high priority by the region’s stakeholders, and were implemented in order to help meet RGs of the 2007 IRWMP.

Grant Contract

As the fiscal and administrative agent for the IRWMG, Kings River Conservation Distrcit (KRCD) was awarded $6,064,375 which was eventually leveraged to complete in excess of $18,000,000 in implementation work tied to three projects. The grant agreement between KRCD and State Water Resources Control Board was executed in December 15, 2008. All work was completed by September 30, 2013.

COMPONENT 1: Alta Irrigation District – Traver Groundwater Recharge and Banking Project

“The work of Component One of the agreement, the Traver Groundwater Recharge and Banking Project, consists of planning, design, and construction of a new groundwater recharge and banking facility near the community of Traver, CA. The facility will consists of a new percolation basin, environmental improvements, installation of monitoring wells, supply pipeline, site fencing, extraction wells, structures, extraction pumps, well delivery pipelines, and utilization of the System Controls and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system. Additionally, Alta Irrigation District will conduct public information and education regarding the project to develop community understanding and support.”

COMPONENT 2: Fresno Irrigation District – Jameson Pond Expansion Project

“The work of Component Two of the Project, the Jameson Pond Expansion Project, consists of planning, design, and construction for an expansion of an existing groundwater recharge and banking facility west of the city of Fresno. The approximate 64-acre expansion facility will consists of construction of a recharge basin, recovery wells, turnout and conveyance structures, delivery pipelines, fencing, monitoring wells and SCADA equipment.”

COMPONENT 3: City of Fresno – Residential Water Meter Installation Project, Phase I

“The work of Component Three of the Project, the City of Fresno’s Residential Water Meter Installation Project, consists of installation of approximately 10,000 of the City of Fresno’s planned 110,000 residential water meters. Work efforts related to this component consist of installation of residential water meters in pre-identified plats within the City of Fresno. Planning and design efforts related to the component were completed prior to this grant and were not included in the scope. Installation of the remaining 100,000 meters is not included in C4 [remaining phases were funded in part through grants awarded later through Props 50 and 84].”