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Imperial Irrigation District looks at water’s future, developing water management plan for new businesses

Posted by: Maven on May 13, 2009 at 5:51 am

From the Imperial Valley Press:

The Imperial Irrigation District is looking to end a backlog in water contracts for new businesses by developing a water management plan to determine whether there are long-term water supplies available. While a more thorough plan is being developed, the IID is working on an interim one “to deal with nonagricultural developments that are occurring now,” said Tina Shields, the assistant water manager for resources planning.

State legislation requires the IID to assess whether there is going to be long-term water supplies for projects. The IID’s water supply is capped at 3.1 million acre-feet per year, but demand often changes in the Valley due to agricultural cropping patterns, drought declarations, and more recently, a sudden increase in proposed high-water-use renewable projects.

“The intent was to try and offset the impacts of the changing agricultural supply,” Shields said of the plan.

The interim plan sets aside 25,000 acre-feet per year for new businesses, and also requires them to help conserve water or to pay fees to fund some of the IID’s water conservation efforts. “Basically this process is going to incentivize projects that use less water,” Shields said.

Read more from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.

May 13, 2009 · Filed Under Imperial Valley

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