News

BBID Celebrates California Water Week

Byron, CA (October 10th, 2017) – In recognition of the first-ever California Water Professionals Appreciation Week, Byron-Bethany Irrigation District (BBID) is thanking its dedicated staff, whose commitment to reliable, efficient water deliveries ensures water is always flowing for our farmers.

The District produced the below video, celebrating the important role our water professionals play.

Water Professionals Appreciation Week was established by Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR) 80, approved by the Legislature on Sept. 13 and chaptered on Sept. 19.

October 10, 2017 in District News

California Water Library Launches

WATCH: Byron-Bethany Irrigation District produced a video highlighting the features of the California Water Library, a new initiative from Chris Austin, founder of Maven’s Notebook – one of the most widely-read water industry blogs. BBID previously made a donation to help the new site launch.

“The California Water Library provides easy, organized access to information about California water, including industry reports, journal articles, scientific research, legal rulings, maps, images, and more so that scientists, policy makers, and managers working in the California’s water industry can access the information needed to make informed decisions about the state’s most precious natural resource,” Austin said. “The California Water Library fills an unmet need within the California water community by consolidating a broad set of content in one, easy-to-use website.”

October 10, 2017 in District Videos

BBID Responds to Critical Mercury News AB 313 Editorial

Byron-Bethany Irrigation District on Monday issued a letter to the San Jose Mercury News, responding to the newspaper’s critical editorial on Assembly Bill 313, a BBID-backed water bill that restores fairness for the state’s water rights holders.

The Mercury News limits its Letters to the Editor to 150 words, so BBID chose to post its full response here. The original editorial is posted below BBID’s letter.

BBID’s Response

BBID Response to Mercury News Op-Ed

Original Mercury News Editorial

Editorial: Don't cave to Big Ag; veto water rights bill
October 9, 2017 in Legislative & Legal Affairs

California State Auditor Releases Report on California Water Fix

A new state audit finds costs and timeline of the California WaterFix planning phase “increased significantly” due to the scale and unexpected complexity of the project.

The report, released Thursday by the California State Auditor, also finds that the Department of Water Resources has not ensured that it is prepared for the transition of WaterFix – and has not completed either an economic or financial analysis to demonstrate the financial viability of the project.

The summary and fact sheet are posted below. Read the full report here.

Summary_2016-132


Fact Sheet_2016-132

 

October 5, 2017 in Legislative & Legal Affairs

BBID Responds to AB 313 Opposition Letter

Byron-Bethany Irrigation District is setting the record straight on Assembly Bill 313, a good governance bill ensuring fundamental fairness and due process for California’s water rights holders. BBID sent the below letter to Governor Brown, responding to a recent opposition letter submitted by a group of environmental organizations.

Lawmakers decisively passed the bill on the final day of the Legislative session. Introduced by Adam Gray (D-Merced), AB 313 now awaits Governor Brown’s signature.

BBID Response to AB 313 Opposition Letter
September 28, 2017 in Legislative & Legal Affairs

Multiple Agencies & Organizations Urge Governor to Sign AB 313 (Updating)

Joining Byron-Bethany Irrigation District, which previously submitted a letter to Governor Brown urging him to sign AB 313, multiple agencies have also sent the Governor letters of support. The bill introduced by Assemblyman Adam Gray (D-Merced) restores due process to water rights holders. AB 313 now awaits Governor Brown’s signature.

This post is being updated as more agencies submit letters to the Governor.

A coalition of agricultural organizations

AB 313 (Gray) 2017_09-20 Water Rights_Ag Coalition SUPPORT GOVERNOR

 

Northern California Water Association

NCWA_GovernorAB313Sept2717

 

Yuba County Water Agency

AB 313 (Gray}-Support

 

Merced Irrigation District

AB 313 (AG) Support Letter MeID

 

San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors Authority

Exchange Contractors Support of AB 313 - 9-20-17

 

Placer County Water Agency

PCWA Support AB 313 (2)

 

Western Canal Water District

WCWD_Gov.Brown.AB313.9.21.17

 

United Water Conservation District

United Water Conservation Dist. AB 313 Letter of Support

 

Central California Irrigation District

CCID AB 313

 

Cucamonga Valley Water District

CVWD AB 313 Request for Signature CVWD

 

Columbia Canal Company

CCC RevisedAssemblyBill313

 

San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority

170922 - SLDMWA AB313 Support Letter to Governor - SUBMITTED

 

Patterson Irrigation District

PattersonID_2017-09-22 AB 313 Letter to Jerry Brown

 

Stanford Vina Ranch Irrigation Company

Stanford Vina Ranch Irrigation Company

 

Steve Nicolaou, Local Attorney

Letter to Hon. Edmund G. Brown, Jr. dated 09-28-2017
September 21, 2017 in Legislative & Legal Affairs

BBID Urges Gov. Brown to Sign AB 313

Byron-Bethany Irrigation District is urging Governor Jerry Brown to sign landmark legislation restoring due process for the state’s water rights holders.

BBID prepared the following letter in support of Assembly Bill 313. Lawmakers decisively passed the bill on the final day of the Legislative session. Introduced by Adam Gray (D-Merced), AB 313 now awaits Governor Brown’s signature.

BBID Sign AB 313 Support Letter
September 20, 2017 in Legislative & Legal Affairs

Turlock Journal: Water Rights Bill Awaits Governor’s Signature

From the Turlock Journal:

A landmark passage of water rights legislation occurred over the weekend when Assemblyman Adam Gray’s Assembly Bill 313 received final approval on the last day of the legislative session – the next-to-final step toward becoming law for the bill, which requires that unbiased administrative law judges conduct water rights enforcement hearings, rather than the State Water Board.

Read more below.

Turlock Journal - Water Rights Bill Awaits Governor's Signature (9.19.17)
September 20, 2017 in District News

BBID Releases Agricultural Water Management Plan Draft

Byron Bethany Irrigation District produced this Agricultural Water Management Plan (AWMP) in compliance with Executive Order (EO) B-29-15. This current version is a draft intended for public review.

EO B-29-15 requires:

  • All agricultural water suppliers that supply water to 10,000 to 25,000 agricultural acres to develop an AWMP
  • The AWMP must include a drought management plan, a quantification of water supply, and a quantification of demand over the years 2013, 2014, and 2015

The District’s AWMP has been prepared in accordance with EO B-29-15 and the Water Conservation Act of 2009 (SBx7-7), and follows the structure specified in the California Department of Water Resources’ (DWR’s) A Guidebook to Assist Agricultural Water Suppliers to Prepare a 2015 Agricultural Water Management Plant (2015 Guidebook) (DWR, 2015a).

BBID_AWMP_Draft_09182017_Compiled
September 19, 2017 in Legislative & Legal Affairs

Modesto Bee: Law Would Bring Fairness to Water Board Disputes

On September 17th, The Modesto Bee penned an editorial calling on the public to urge Governor Brown to sign Assembly Bill 313, water rights reform legislation supported by Byron-Bethany Irrigation District.

The Bee says, “AB313 is all about one thing – fairness.”

AB 313 passed in the Senate on the final day of the Legislative session and now awaits the Governor’s signature.

9-17-17 - Law would bring fairness to water board disputes | The Modesto Bee
September 18, 2017 in District News