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Imperial Irrigation District: Farmer actions endanger allotment

Posted by: Maven on February 18, 2009 at 8:02 am

From the Imperial Valley Press:

Continued drought in California means the Imperial Irrigation District is facing increased pressure to turn over its water, and the equitable distribution plan is key to stopping that pressure, IID board members said during Tuesday’s meeting. “My fear is if we don’t move forward that the day is going to come when we have no options,” IID board president Jim Hanks said.

But farmers, by not signing or returning their water cards, will derail the equitable distribution process, IID spokesman Kevin Kelley said.

The equitable distribution process was put in place as a way to ration water during a year that the district is expected to over-use its allotted amount. Under the program, farmers are given 5.25 acre-feet of water per acre, and are expected to turn unused water into a water bank, where farmers who use more than 5.25 acre-feet per acre can withdraw it.

But in order to know how much water a farmer is planning on taking, in addition to other information necessary to the program, tenant farmers and landowners must sign and return their water cards. Not doing so, said IID spokesman Kevin Kelley, means “you don’t have a program.”

Read more from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.

February 18, 2009 · Filed Under Imperial Valley

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